Love The Way You Lie
by Meghanav3
Summary: What if Gibbs chose Ziva over Tony, when she gave the choice at the end season six, but when a case throws them all together again? Can they find a way to be a team again?
1. Prologue

Love The Way You Lie

**Prologue**

**Summary:** What if Gibbs chose Ziva over Tony, when she gave the choice at the end season six, but when a case throws them all together again? Can they find a way to be a team again?

**Characters:** Ziva David, Tony DiNozzo, Jethro Gibbs, Tim McGee, Abby Sciuto, Donald Mallard, Leon Vance, Jimmy Palmer, Maybe more

**Disclaimer:** I do not own NCIS or its characters.

**Rating:** Not sure. PG-13/R to be on the safe side.

**Notes: **Gibbs picked Ziva over Tony (You'll find out why), almost everything in Season 7 and 8 never happened (Some things, but you'll find out what). And it's two years since the season 6 finale. Everyone knows he was promoted (Given his own team), but only Vance, Gibbs and Abby know he's now part of the LA Team. Not a full crossover, but they will be some small interaction. Abby is the only one that really keeps in touch with Tony. Just know when Tony was given his own team, there was a falling out between Tony and Gibbs and Tony and McGee. Things will be explained throughout the story.


	2. Not What it Seems

**Chapter One - "Not What it Seems"**

"No you misunderstood McGee, I was asking if did go on the date, not if where going on a date" Ziva said to McGee as they walked off the elevator and towards the bullpen.

"Why would I Ziva? She clearly was more into you" McGee said as the turned into the bullpen and headed to their desks. McGee now sat at Tony's desk, ever since he was promoted and given his own team. It all happened a week after they arrived back from Tell Aviv. It was only Gibbs and Ziva who truly knew the events of what happened, Vance knew a little, but he didn't need to know that much. Gibbs had told him that Tony was good and ready and deserved his own team. Vance knew it had to do with the Rivkin fall out. He didn't ask he just gave Tony his new orders and that was that. Gibbs told Tony he knew he could do it and told him to keep in touch. Tony took his orders and didn't question them. They all thought in time it blow over and they'd be a team again, but that was two years ago.

"He does have a point Ziva" a voice said, they looked over.

"I guess I must have missed this" Ziva said. Ziva pulled out his badge and took his gun off her belt and placed them in the desk top drawer before sitting down.

"Oh come on she kept buying you drinks. Even Agent Johnson noticed" McGee said.

"I told you Tim you can call me Mackenzie or Mack even." Mackenzie said to him.

"Sorry habit" McGee said to her.

"McGee she has been here almost two years" Ziva said to him.

"I know I know." McGee said. "It will not happen again"

"It's okay Tim. I know I haven't been part of this team as long as you or Ziva or Abby, so it's harder to get used to it." Mackenzie said to him.

"Yet he can get used to not being called Probie all the time" Ziva said teasing him.

"That is different and you know it Ziva" McGee said to him.

"Of course it is" Ziva said to him.

"Of course we miss you here" Abby said talking into the phone. "Why wouldn't we miss you Tony"

"Well some might" Tony said.

"You are still going on about that? Have you tried to talk to them at all?" Abby asked him. She knew things didn't end so well, when he was given his new orders. She always thought one day they'd be a team once again, but that was two years ago and nothing's seem to change.

"Haven't had a chance to since I was transferred." Tony said to her.

"Which was 6 months ago, Tony if you keep putting it off none of you can put this in the past" Abby told him. "We miss you around here, even McGee."

"How is good old Probie?" Tony said.

"Why don't you call him Tony?" Abby said hoping maybe if she could get him to talk to some of the team, things could start to go back to the way they were.

"You really want me too, don't you?" Tony asked her.

"Yes Tony. Now do it" Abby said to him.

"Okay fine. Bye Abby." Tony said to her.

"Goodbye DiNozzo" Abby said, before hanging up the phone. "If you wanted to talk to him, you should have spoken up" Abby said, she then turned to see Gibbs walking in the door. She knew even though Gibbs had told Tony to keep in touch, just the fact he let Tony go hurt Tony. Which lead to neither of them speaking since Tony left. Abby tried her hardest to mean fences, but someone would always shoot her down. She just wasn't going to give up, she was able to get Gibbs to bring Ziva, McGee and Tony home after Vance tore up the team, she was going to bring them all home and back together now. It was just taking longer than expected.

"I will" Gibbs said to her. "Do you have the results?"

"Yup, just came in" Abby said. She got up off the chair and walked over to the printer; she picked up a piece of paper and walked over to Gibbs. She handed to him.

"Thanks Abbs" Gibbs said as he took the piece of paper from her and then started to head out.

"Gibbs" Abby said, he stopped and turned to face her. "No matter how hard everyone tries, it's not the same. We need Tony."

"I know" Gibbs said to her.

"Then get him back" Abby said him.

"I've told you, I'm trying Abby" Gibbs said to her. He then walked over to her and placed a kiss on her forehead before leaving the lab.

"Obviously not hard enough" Abby said before turning back to her computer.

"I have a friend I can hook you up with" Ziva said to McGee.

"No the last time you did that; she took one look at T…. Never mind" McGee started to say, but as soon as the name Tony started to come out of his month he quickly took it back.

"McGee you can talk about Tony. It has been two years" Ziva said to him. "We all made choices. We are where we are now" Ziva said to him.

"Gear Up, we've got a dead Marine" Gibbs said walking into the bullpen. As he grabbed his badge and gun, the rest of his team grabbed their guns, badges and bags before they all headed to the elevator.

"Another drug overdose?" McGee asked.

"You know as much as I do, McGee" Gibbs asked before the door closed.

"Mr. Palmer, I said turn left, not right." Ducky said as he and Palmer got out of the van, Gibbs, Ziva, McGee and Mackenzie already at the scene taking picture, statements and collecting evidence.

"You said go two miles and then turn left and that is what I did" Palmer said to Ducky.

"That is not what I said" Ducky said to him. The two walked over to the crime scene. "Sorry Jethro, we would have been here sooner, but Mr. Palmer still can't follow directions."

"It's been eight years Ducky, if he hasn't learned now" Gibbs started to say.

"It was a mistake" Palmer said. He then walked over to the body, Ducky following close behind.

"Victim is Corporal Eric Richardson, But it says it's stationed at Camp Pendleton" McGee said to Gibbs as he walked over to him. "It says he went missing two days ago"

"Looks like he is no longer missing" Ziva said.

* * *

Don't normal ask for them... But please read and review, let me know what you think.


	3. Old Friends

**Chapter Two - "Old Friends"**

"Sorry for the wait Gibbs" Gibbs stood in the middle of the room of MTAC looking at the screen, with Callen on the screen.

"And why am I seeing your face Callen?" Gibbs asked him.

"He is out of the building. He should be back soon" Callen said to him.

"How are things out there?" Gibbs asked him.

"They've been good. And to answer your question he's fit right in." Callen told him.

"Hasn't drove you crazy yet" Gibbs said to him.

"Really Gibbs, I drove you crazy?" Tony's voice said, a few moments later, he made his way on screen.

"It's good to see you DiNozzo" Gibbs said to him.

"You too, Agent Gibbs" Tony said. "But I take this isn't a social call"

"What can you tell me about Corporal Eric Richardson?" Gibbs asked him.

"He was supposed to be transferred to Quantico, but he was reported missing yesterday by his wife. We launched an investigation, but till we get anything he is being reported as a deserter. His wife is making a big deal about this, saying he'd never just take off. He's a member of his community and damn good Marine, yet no one has a clue why'd he take off" Tony explained to him.

"Anything to back up he deserted?" Gibbs asked him.

"From what I know, only thing that really says he deserted was that his wife said he always kept a go bag and that was missing, as was his truck, but his bank accounts aren't touched and the rest of his stuff is still in his house" Tony said to him. "Why do you ask?"

"We just found you're missing Corporal" Gibbs said.

"In DC?" Tony questioned.

"How fast can you get to DC?" Gibbs asked him.

"I'll be on the next flight out" Tony said.

"Make sure you have all the information on and about Corporal Eric Richardson's life and case" Gibbs said.

"On it Special Agent Gibbs" Tony said. Gibbs then gave the cut it sign before heading out of MTAC. He wasn't sure if it was really going to solve the case, but he knew there was more not being said and he trusted Tony more than anyone else in LA right now, other thing Callen.

"It is that thing" Ziva said trying to explain to McGee and failing at it. "Mack help me out here"

"I would love to Ziva, but I have no idea what you are talking about" Mackenzie said with a laugh.

"Ziva you are clearly not making any sense right now" McGee chimed in. "You went from our Corporal to some random rant. Somehow I think you started talking about a movie.

"You two both know it and just will not tell me" Ziva said, giving them evil looks.

"We would tell you if we knew what you were talking about" Mack said.

"Oh Forget it." Ziva said. She stood up from her desk and walked over to the big screen between McGee and Mack's desk. "So the case, we have a Corporal that is not supposed to be in town yet dead and that same Corporal went MIA two days ago."

"Didn't go MIA Ziva, his wife reported him missing" Gibbs said as he walked into the Bullpen.

"Do you know something we don't boss?" McGee asked him.

"I talked to the Team in Los Angles. Corporal Eric Richardson's wife reported him missing yesterday; they launched an investigation, but have come up with nothing. Right now it's an open case, but they are trying to close it, saying he's a deserted." Gibbs said to them. "I have the lead investigator coming to DC. We are going to work as a team and work with the LA team"

"We are still trying to access his records, but haven't had much luck" McGee said to him. They all knew when Gibbs said it, it had to be done. Even though the last time they had worked with the NCIS Team in LA was when Rivkin was in town and before Tony had killed him. Abby worked with them from time to time, but them, not since that fall out.

"The lead in Corporal Eric Richardson's case is coming with everything we need." Gibbs said to him. "Go home, all of you. Tomorrow is going to be a long day"

"We'll see you tomorrow" McGee said. The three of them, all gathered their stuff and headed to the elevator. Once the door was closed McGee turned to Ziva. "Who do you think coming?"

"I do not know" Ziva said to him. "But it is someone Gibbs does not seem too happy about"

Gibbs walked off the elevator and turned to the autopsy doors, they opened once Gibbs stepped near them. He walked in and over to Ducky and Palmer.

"A Jethro, I was just telling Palmer here about…" Ducky started to say, before being cut off.

"What do you got Duck?" Gibbs said cutting Ducky off, from what he knew was going to be one of his stories.

"Our Corporal was shot" Ducky said as he stopped what he was doing, and walked over to the x-rays. "But that isn't what killed him."

"Then what did?" Gibbs asked him.

"I'm not quite sure. He was shot in his right shoulder, but didn't do enough damage to be the cause of death. I sent blood and samples to Abby for testing. But Jethro I have no clear cause of death" Ducky said to him. Gibbs could tell Ducky was completely stumped. "I did send Abby the bullet to find out who shot our Corporal"

"Thanks Duck" Gibbs said, he then head out of autopsy and Up to Abby's lab.

**Later That Night**

Tony walked into the bullpen, nothing had changed, he could see Ziva was still had her desk, Gibbs still had his, though McGee moved over to his desk and someone new took over McGee's, things were still the same. He knew that Vance was still in charge, since he still worked for NCIS and Vance was still the Director. He walked more into the bullpen and looked around some more. He didn't realize how much he had truly missed this place till right now. It had been two years since he had stepped foot on the Navy Base let alone in this office. Though it seemed like only yesterday that he lost everything that mattered to him in the matter of minutes, first he lost Ziva, though only his partner he still cared dearly about and now she could barely stand to be in the same room as him, then Vance hands him new orders and a new team the next day, but feels more like a punishment, and then Gibbs lets him leave, doesn't try and stop him. All those times he thought Gibbs cared, he realized it was all lie. He had looked up to Gibbs, he was like a father figure in Tony's eyes, but now he was just the person who let him walk out. He wasn't sure how he could forgive that, or how Gibbs could even begin to explain it.

Sure it was one thing when Vance broke apart the team and sent him on USS Ronald Reagan and later to the USS Seahawk, but this was different. There was no rhyme or reason for this. At least Vance had a reason and he was home months later. Though he liked where he was now, Los Angles had it perks, he still missed D.C. and those he used to call co-workers. Tony sighed and headed on through the bullpen and to the back elevator. He hit the button and the doors opened, he walked on and hit the button for the floor where Abby's Lab was. He was hoping though everyone else seemed to have gone home, that she was still around. Once the elevator stopped and the doors opened, Abby's music blasted for all to hear. Tony smiled and shook his head; he stepped off the elevator and towards the lab. When he walked in there was Abby dancing a little as her focus was set on her computer.

"You know staring at that computer can hurt those pretty little eyes or yours" Tony said, Abby act first didn't know who was speaking, being so focused on her work, she then turned to see Tony.

"Tony" Abby said, before running over to him and wrapping her arms around him, nearly knocking him over in the process.

"It's good to see you to Abby" Tony said, a little out of breath. "But you're crushing me"

"Sorry" Abby said and quickly released him. "I knew Gibbs would bring you back. They all doubted me but I knew he'd bring you back, because this team is nothing without you."

"I'm not staying Abby." Tony said to her, he hated that he made her go from so excited to sad all in the matter of seconds. "I'm here to help on a case and then I'm heading back to LA."

"No you can't" Abby said to him. "Tony this team needs you. I don't care who says what, this team isn't the same without you. And sure Mack works great with Ziva and McGee, but it's not the McTiva"

"McTiva?" Tony said o her very confused about what she was even talking about.

"McTiva. It's the nickname I gave you all. Sure it's missing Gibbs, but nothing worked with Gibbs, it's be like McTivibbs, just didn't sound right." Abby said.

"So you gave, Ziva, McGee and I all a couples nickname?" Tony asked him.

"No" Abby said looking down at the floor. "Okay maybe, but the McTiva works, the McGivack doesn't work. So we need you back"

"So you're saying a need to come back because the nickname doesn't work without my name?" Tony said.

"No Tony, the team doesn't work without you. We are a team, You, Ziva, McGee, Gibbs, Ducky, Palmer and I we're a whole team. Nothing can change that. I don't care what anyone says, you belong with us." Abby said to him.

"It's nice to know someone thinks so" Tony said to her.

"They all think it; they just don't know how to say it." Abby said to him.

"Gibbs said it loud and clear when he let me go" Tony said to her. "He could have stopped Vance, but he just told me keep in touch and that was it. I thought we were a team, but I guess that doesn't really mean much anymore."

"Tony" Abby said to him. "I could stand here and tell you Gibbs had some rhyme or reason, because you know he did. I just don't know what it is. Maybe he was telling you, you were ready for a team of your own and wanted to give that chance to prove how great you really are"

"I had a shot once, to have a team of my own" Tony said, as he slowly watched over to the evidence table. "When Gibbs came back from retirement. Jenny gave me the chance to have my own team, but I chose to stay with Gibbs, Ziva and McGee, because I believe we were a team and I didn't want to break that up." Abby walked over to the table as well, and stood on the opposite side cross from Tony. "But I guess I was wrong there too"

"You weren't Tony" Abby said to him.

"I should go, I need to get some sleep, it's been a long flight and I have to face everyone tomorrow" Tony said, slightly unsure of how things will go. "You should sleep too Abby, running on Caf-pow is no good for you"

"I never sleep Tony, you know that" Abby said to him. Tony just shook his head with a small laugh. He then walked around the table and gave Abby another Hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I'm glad I still have you Abby" Tony said to her with a smile.

"You're kind of stuck with me" Abby said to him.

"And I wouldn't want it any other way." He said to her and nudged her a little. "See you tomorrow Abby"

"See you tomorrow" Abby said to him. Tony then turned and walked out of the lab.


	4. Unexpected Encounters

**Chapter Three- "****Unexpected Encounters****"**

Ziva walked off the elevator and into the bullpen, she could tell something was clearly off. She wasn't sure what it was, but something had changed since McGee and her left last night. She walked over to her desk and put her stuff down and away before sitting down. She also found it really strange she was the only one here, McGee usually beat her to the office every morning, even Mack was here before her, but neither they nor Gibbs was there.

"It's nice to have you back in DC" Ziva heard Vance's voice say from behind her.

"It's good to be back" Ziva heard a familiar voice say, it wasn't till they were in view that Ziva saw him standing there. There was Tony DiNozzo, her old friend and the man who killed Michael. It had been two years since she last saw him and talk to him. Almost seemed like a life time ago. To be honest, Ziva never thought she'd see Tony again. When she heard he was transferred out of the country, she thought that was it he was gone. She was mad at him, but didn't mean she wanted to see him gone for good. Sometimes she regretted her ultimatum she gave Gibbs, just never let anyone know. Right now she didn't know if to be happy or to ignore him. She figured if he was here the least she could do was be nice and civil to him.

"Tony" Ziva said softly. Without saying a word Vance excused himself and headed back to his office. Tony walked into the Bullpen more and stood across from Ziva in front of her desk.

"Zi…. Officer David" Tony said quickly correcting himself.

"It is nice to see you" Ziva said to him, trying to be sincere.

"Is it?" Tony said with a little attitude.

"I am trying to be civil here Tony, if you cannot be, then that is fine" Ziva said to him.

"I guess I'm going to have to be" Tony said, with a sigh.

"Why are you here Tony?" Ziva questioned him.

"I'm here about your dead Corporal" Tony said with a smile.

"You are the LA Lead Investigator?" Ziva questioned not sure to believe it.

"Yup, I get to work with you all again. I just hope we can make this as painless as possible, and once the case is closed I will be on my way back to Los Angles" Tony said to her. Ziva couldn't help but feel devastated when he said he wasn't staying, she just didn't let him know she felt that way.

"I am sure we can" Ziva said in response.

"I told Ziva she couldn't hook me up with any of her friends, what makes you think I'd let you hook me up with any of your friends" They heard McGee's voice say.

"Because mine don't know who Tony is" they heard Mack say.

"That is true; it's a good thing he isn't…." They heard say, before both McGee and Mack came into view. Just as they were both to enter the bullpen there stood Tony in front of Ziva's desk.

"Here?" Tony asked. "That was what you were going to say right, Agent McGee?"

"Yeah" McGee said. He shook the shock over seeing Tony away and walked over to his desk and put his stuff away. Mack did the same, only she walked over to Tony once her stuff was down and away.

"I'm Mackenzie Johnson, you can all me Mack" Mack said to him, Tony turned to face her.

"Wait, do you have a brother Matthew Johnson?" Tony questioned her.

"Yeah, older, why…" Mack started to question him, and then she finally got it. "You're that Tony DiNozzo?"

"And your Macky" Tony said to her.

"I hated that nickname, Matt was the only one who I allowed to call me that" Mack said to him.

"Wow your all grown up and working for NCIS" Tony said with a smile.

"Yeah, I followed in my father and brother's footsteps. Baltimore PD, and when I heard a spot opened up at NCIS I thought I'd try and see if I could maybe get a change of scenery, a new challenge and most important help some people along the way" Mack said to him. "I'm guessing you don't keep in touch with Matt anymore"

"No, I tried to, but things had a funny way of working out" Tony said to her.

"Yeah they do" Mack said agreeing with him. "I thought maybe someone would have told you"

"Told me what?" Tony questioned.

"He was killed last year." Mack said trying to stay strong. "It was a drug bust, he and his partner went in without backup, everyone started firing, and he got hit. He was dead before he made it to the hospital"

"I'm so sorry Mack" Tony said to her. He walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. Ziva looked at McGee who looked back at her, both with the what just happened look on their faces.

"He loved his job and was so proud of me when I got this job." Mack said him after the pulled back from the hug, Mack trying to hold back the tears. "He did tell me to tell you, if I saw you. That you still owe him that 50 bucks"

"Why wouldn't he be proud of you, look at you now?" Tony said to her with a smile. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out two 20s and a 10 dollar bill. "Sorry it's late, but here." He said as he gave her the money. "I can't believe he still remembered."

"You'd be surprised." Mack said with a small laugh.

"So you two know each other?' McGee finally chimed in.

"Barely, Tony here meet me twice" Mack said, as she wiped away and ears that might have fallen.

"But I worked with her brother when I was a Baltimore Cop, that was till I was hired here at NCIS" Tony told them.

"And Matt never forgave you for that either, Well he did eventually" Mack said with another laugh.

"You can laugh about memories later, we have a dead Marine and we need to find out who and why they killed him" Gibbs voice rang, till he walked into the bullpen.

"I was just getting reacquainted with the team" Tony said. Mack quickly walked back to her desk.

"As you can see Special Agent Tony DiNozzo is our Lead Investigator from Los Angles. We will be working as a team" Gibbs said to them. "Now what do you got?" Tony walked over to the free desk that was behind the half next to Mack's desk and pulled out a folder from his bag, he then walked back or to Gibbs' desk and placed it in front of him.

"This is Corporal Eric Richardson's file. Everything we could find about his life" Tony said, He then picked up the remote and click it. "This is Corporal Richardson's wife Heidi Richardson. Agent Kensi Blye and their new Liaison LAPD Officer are going over to her house this morning to give her the news. Agent Blye is going to let me know how it went." Tony started to explain. "We also know the night before he went missing, we went out drinking with a couple of marine buddies, Petty Officer Andrew Sanders and Petty Officer Mathew Cohen." Tony said as he pulled up pictures of them. "They were questioned, but they had no connection to his disappearances and surely knew nothing. Agent Callen and Hanna are going to questioned them again. They are going to keep me updated so I can keep you updated."

"I checked into his bank records" McGee said as he got up from his seat. He walked over to Tony and took the clicker from him, He then clicked it and the records popped up. "Nothing unusually the last two months, but then I saw this" McGee said and highlighted and pulled up what he was talking about. "About six months back he withdrew $50,000 from his bank account only to replace it two weeks later, with an added $50,000"

"Why would he take out the money only to replace it with double the amount?" Ziva asked as she stood up and moved over to the boys.

"Gambling, drug dealing" Mack chimed in.

"No this guy was a pillar in his community. He was a local hero, volunteer fireman, helped out at the local homeless shelter and at the youth groups. He was a saint" Tony said them.

"Even saints are sinner" Gibbs said. "McGee Johnson I want you to go question the commanding officers at Quantico. Find out if they knew if he was coming in early then planed. David, Di… Agent DiNozzo with me." Gibbs said to them. Mack and McGee walked back over to their desk, grabbed their stuff and headed out. Gibbs handed Tony back the files, and headed off to the other elevator, both Ziva and Tony following behind him.

"If this is about making sure we play nice Agent Gibbs, I assure you we will play nice, isn't that right Officer David?" Tony said as they waited for the elevator to open.

"I don't care if you claw each other eyes out, I just want everyone to work as a team" Gibbs said to him without turning around.

"I gave my word" Ziva said back to him. "The case comes first"

"The case some first" Tony said in agreement. Before either could say another word, the elevator doors opened and they walked on. Gibbs hit the button for Autopsy.

Moments later, the doors opened again, and Gibbs walked out, followed by Ziva and Tony. They all walked into autopsy, only to overhear Ducky telling Palmer one of his many stories.

"Got a cause of death Duck?" Gibbs said interrupting Ducky.

"Jethro, I was just about to call you" Ducky said to him as he turned to face him, only to notice Tony with him and Ziva. "Oh Anthony, it's so good to see you"

"You to Ducky" Tony said to him with a small smile. "And I'm sorry about your mother. She's was a remarkable women"

"Thank you Anthony" Ducky said to him. "She's was quite found of you too. She…"

"Duck" Gibbs said stopping Ducky before he started on another story. "The case"

"Oh yes" Ducky said and then turned back to the Body. "Our Corporal here was poisoned." Ducky said them.

"With what?" Tony asked.

"I'd like to know that too" They heard a voice say, they then turned towards Ducky's computer to see Abby on this little two way talk screen. The three of them moved over to the two way talk screen. "Hi Tony"

"Hi Abby" He said with a smile and a small laugh.

"What do you have Abby?" Gibbs asked testy.

"Nothing, that's it, I can't find the poison used to kill Corporal Richardson. I have run every test I can think of and nothing" Abby said to him. "Gibbs our killer is really smart if he can create his own poison."

"And much more lethal then we first realized" Tony added.


	5. Playing Catch Up

**Chapter Four- "Playing Catch Up"**

"I see nothing's changed much around here" Tony said. He was sitting in McGee's chair, behind his desk, which used to be Tony's. He couldn't help but wonder if the desk was still the same one he left behind or McGee was able to change or fix it somehow.

"A lot has changed Tony" Ziva said to him, as she worked at her computer.

"Like what?" Tony asked her.

"Tony we should be working" Ziva said to him.

"Right not a social call." Tony said, He then logged on to McGee computer to try and attempt to get something done, but he couldn't help but want to ask more questions. Tony then stopped what he was doing, and looked back at Ziva. "To answer your question, I was. I lied" Tony said.

"What" Ziva said as she stopped what she was doing and looked at Tony. But before he could say another word, McGee and Mack walked back into the bullpen.

"Biggest waste of two hours ever" McGee said. He then put his stuff on the floor behind Tony, not really caring his was there. "They knew nothing and just kept sending us in circles"

"They'd send us to one person and then sent us back to the person we just talked to. They knew nothing. As far as they knew Corporal Richardson was coming today." Mack said to them.

"Did Ducky or Abby find anything?" McGee asked.

"Our Corporal was poison" Tony answered him. "Only it was the killers own special blend, so we have no way to know who could have possible bought the poison and who wanted to kill Corporal Richardson."

"So we're up a creak without a paddle?" Mack said.

"Basically" Tony answered.

"Has your LA Team contacted you?" Ziva asked him.

"Not yet, but their three hours behind, so I'm sure they will soon" Tony said.

"Excuse me" Ziva said. She got up from his chair and walked out from behind her desk and headed out of the bullpen.

"Was it something I said?" Tony questioned.

"What don't you say?" McGee snapped before headed out of the bullpen as well.

"I guess I should go make some phone calls, I knew I shouldn't have come" Tony said, meaning to say only to himself, but saying it out loud.

"Tony" Mack said getting his attention. "I know I don't know everything that happened before I showed up, but know what I saw and that was the two of them happy to see you. Even if they don't admit it, they are glad you're here"

"Funny they don't seem it" Tony said to Mack. "And you know I don't blame them. I have done a lot of stupid things, but the one thing I regret the most is letting down my team. They needed me and I let them down."

"Do they know that?" Mack asked him.

"They don't want to know it" Tony said to her. He then got up from the chair. "I have some phone calls to make so excuse me" Tony said before walking out of the bullpen.

"He's here now" Abby said as Gibbs walked into her Lab. "You should talk to him"

"If this is all you need to tell me Abby, then I'm going" Gibbs said to her.

"Oh no you're not" Abby said. She picked up her remote and hit the button that closed the door. "Two years you have ignored him, two years you've been telling me you'd get him back. He's back, make sure he stays"

"Abby we're in the middle of a case" Gibbs said to her.

"Gibbs the team needs him. You know it, I know it, Ziva and McGee, though won't say it, know it. We don't work without Tony" Abby said to him. "Tell Vance to transfer Tony back here"

"It's not that simple Abby" Gibbs said to her.

"Then make it that simple." Abby said to him. She was always happy and rarely sad, but when it came to something important like the people she cared about she wasn't about to stand back and watch them get hurt or walk away. "Tony loves this team and you know you and this team love Tony. Don't let him walk away again."

"It's not my decision." Gibbs said to her.

"Then tell Vance to not let him leave" Abby said to him.

"Abby the case" Gibbs said to her, Abby then hit the button again to open the door and turned back to her computer.

"I don't have much. I can't really match the poison. I have run every test I can think of and then some and I am coming up with nothing. I'm now trying to isolate what was in the poison, but that is going to take a while." Abby said to him. When she saw the look she knew he wasn't happy she didn't have anything. "Why you are here, I can tell you his last meal and it wasn't peanuts or pretzels." Abby said as she handed him a piece of paper.

"Good job Abby" Gibbs said. She gave her a kiss on the cheek before walking out of the lab.

"You know you're all being too hard on him" Mack said as she watched Ziva walk back into the bullpen. "I know it's none of my business, and I really don't know all the facts, but it's been two years. Do you all really hate him that much?"

"It is complicated" Ziva said as she walked over to her desk.

"Can I just say one thing and then I'll drop it" Mack said. She got up from her chair and walked out from behind her desk and over to Ziva's desk.

"I suppose I cannot stop you either way" Ziva said.

"No" Mack said. "I have one big regret in my life and that was letting my brother walk out that door that morning"

"That was not your fault, we told you that" Ziva said to her.

"Not the point, what you all didn't know was Matt wasn't supposed to be working that day. He went in because of me" Mack said to her. "Matt was the type of person who's over protective. He involves himself when he doesn't need to. My brother is more of a parent to me then my own parents were. And that morning we were fighting about my current choice in a date the night before." Mack explained to him. "It got pretty heated and the last words I said to him, well they were pretty hateful. And that was it. I didn't have the chance to take them back and tell him I was sorry. He dead thinking I hated him." Mack said trying not to get emotional. "I don't want that to happen with you all and Tony. He cares about you all so much that he thinks he let you all down. I don't want you all to have that one regret, that one thing you can't take back because it's too late."

"This is not the same Mack" Ziva said to her.

"It's it?" Mack questioned it. "What if Tony was killed tomorrow, could you stand here and tell me there is not one thing you regretted? There is not one thing you wish you had a chance to take back?"

"We all have regrets Mack. We just cannot always make them better" Ziva said her.

"Well this one you can" Mack said to her, before she walked back to her desk.

"So I was able to get some information from…" Tony said as he walked into the bullpen, only to stop was he noticed a shift in energy from when he first left. "Did I interrupt something?"

"No" Ziva said quickly. "What did you find?"

"Turns out the wife wasn't all that surprised her husband was dead." Tony said to them. "In fact she wasn't even home that night."

"So we have a wife that says she was home when she wasn't, what about the friends?" Mack asked him.

"The two Petty Officers, they were with him at the bar, Agent Callen and Hanna confirmed they were all at the bar. Only our two Petty Officers headed off to a strip club, and that was it. Didn't know where Corporal Eric Richardson was heading." Tony said to them.

"Let me guess you think the wife did it?" They heard McGee's voice said. They all turned to see McGee walk back into bullpen and over to his desk.

"We'll it's a possibility, Agent McGee" Tony said to him. "That is why I have Eric Beale looking in her. Her past, her bank records, anything he can find. He will email me what he can find"

"Not not let us do it? It is our case?" McGee asked him.

"But she is a resident of California." Tony said to him. "There for Eric will have better luck finding out more about her. But if you want to look into her life you can go right ahead"

"What did Callen and Hanna tell you about the Bar, Special Agent DiNozzo" Gibbs said.

"Corporal Richardson and our Petty Officers had a few drinks." Tony said to him. "They confirmed with the Bar, Corporal Richardson left after our Petty officers. They have no clue where he was going"

"Abby was able to figure out what his last meal was, and isn't anything you find in a bar" Gibbs told him. "And it's a meal you can't find in California"

"So he had his last meal here" Tony said, before anyone else could. "This means he was here before he was killed."

"But was the food poisoned?" Mack questioned.

"No" they heard Abby's voice say. "His food wasn't poisoned, but I talked to Ducky and he told me tell you, he was wrong about time of death. Corporal Richardson was dead before he supposedly had drinks with his buddies. He's been dead for 72 hours."

"How could Ducky be so off?" Tony questioned.

"Ducky is figuring that out now." Abby said to them.

"There is just something about this case just doesn't feel right" Mack said.

"So if he was dead, who was with his friends? And why didn't the wife report his disappearance earlier?" McGee said. Just then Tony's phones started to ring.

"Excuse me" Tony said. He answered his phone and walked out of the Bullpen and over to the windows.

"Looks like Tony might be right again" McGee said.

"Anything else Abby?" Gibbs asked her.

"I went looking through old case files to see if I could find if there might have been any connections to other murders and found one. It was back in 2002. Case was never solved" Abby said to him.

"Who was the victim?" Gibbs asked him.

"Gunnery Sergeant Victor Morrison." Abby said to him. "I asked for the case files to be sent over and all the evidence. And by the way if they ask I am your boss" Abby said before walking away.

"That's was Eric" Tony said as he walked back into the bullpen. "Turns out Heidi Richardson maiden name Heidi Morrison, doesn't exist. There is no record of her anywhere."

* * *

To answer the questions, As of right now no plans for any ships at this time. There will be some moments between certain characters (Good and Bad), but nothing more then that. Spoiler alert: There is a bit more to Mack then you might think.


	6. Wasn't My Decision

**Chapter Five- "Wasn't My Decision"**

"So you hiding out down here or just want to see me" Abby said to Tony who was standing on the other side of her computer.

"I figured I was safer down here then up there" Tony said to her.

"Tony if you won't talk to them it's never going to get better" Abby said to him.

"Abby it's just so much has happened, and I know your trying to help, but I don't think we can ever go back to the way things used to be" Tony said.

"Why?" Abby asked him.

"It's complicated" Tony said to her.

"I will lock you all in this room if I have to Tony?" Abby said to him.

"Yeah I don't doubt that one." Tony said. He knew she was serious; after all she did that once when He, McGee and Palmer messed up her lab and never cleaned it up.

"So don't make me do it." Abby said to him.

"Got anything Abbs" Gibbs said as he walked into the lab.

"I only just started processing it. Tony was about to help me." Abby said with a smile as she looked at Tony and then at Gibbs.

"Let me know when you have something" Gibbs said and started to walk out of the lab.

"Gibbs" Abby said, he stopped and turned to her. "Remember what I said."

"My hands are tied Abby, the case" Gibbs said before walking out.

"What was that about?" Tony questioned her, as he walked around the computer and over to the evidence table.

"Making sure things happen" Abby said.

"You think he could be right?" McGee asked. He sat at his desk, just sitting there trying to come up with motives, possibilities and suspects. While Ziva worked on looking things up on her computer and Mack was nowhere to be found.

"Who could be?" Ziva said him not looking up from her computer.

"Tony" McGee said. "I mean Agent DiNozzo"

"It is a possibility" Ziva said. She stopped what she was doing and looked at McGee. "He is still Tony McGee. He is just not our Tony"

"He's the one that left us" McGee said and turned to his computer.

"He did not have a choice" Ziva said.

"Didn't he?" McGee said. He turned back to face Ziva. "He could have told Vance to shove it and he took his orders and left."

"McGee it is not that simple" Ziva said.

"Why are defending him?" McGee questioned. "Last time I checked you hated him"

"Don't not mean he did not have a choice" Ziva said him.

"He had a choice and he choose to leave" McGee said. He got up from his desk and walked out of the bullpen.

"No he did not McGee" Ziva said to herself. She then turned back to the computer.

"Maybe you should tell him" Ziva heard a voice said she turned to see Gibbs walking into the bullpen.

"It would not make a difference" Ziva said to him and looked down at the desk.

"Wouldn't it?" Gibbs asked her. "They'll find out eventually"

"You should have let me go" Ziva said to him.

"I told you then and I'll tell you now I was not leaving you with him" Gibbs said to her. "I made the choice I knew best and I stand by it Ziva"

"He did not deserve this" Ziva said.

"I would not have told Vance to give him his own team if I didn't believe he wasn't capable." Gibbs said to her.

"I was wrong" Ziva said to him, before turning back to her computer.

"Fine have it your way Abby, I'll tell them" Tony said he walked out of the lab and to the elevator. Once the doors opened there stood McGee face to face with Tony. "Abby has something, I was about to tell everyone" Tony said and without a word from McGee, He moved back and let Tony on. Tony walk on and hit the button, once the doors closed, the two just stood there waiting. "So have things been the same around here?" Tony said finally breaking the silence.

"About the same" McGee said with a little irritation in his voice.

"Gibbs still Gibbs?" Tony said trying to just make conversation.

"Just about" McGee said.

"Okay I get your mad McGee, but why?" Tony said to him. They hadn't been best friends, but had been partners and worked together for a long time. Now all of a sudden he leaves and McGee doesn't like him. He could understand Ziva and why she hated him, after all he killed her boyfriend. Gibbs, well he wasn't sure what was going on with Gibbs, but McGee.

"You just don't get it" McGee said to him. Tony without saying a word brought his hand up and flipped the emergency stop switch and turned to face McGee.

"Then explain it to me" Tony said to him. "I get I was mean at times and the nicknames, McGee I'm sorry. I was just teasing; I never meant to truly hurt your feelings"

"My point, Tony" McGee said to him.

"I hurt your feelings?" Tony questioning what he just said.

"You don't understand" McGee said to him, as he turned to face Tony. "You made your choice now live with it"

"This is about the promotion. " Tony said to him, finally figure it out. "It wasn't my choice McGee."

"Like hell it wasn't. You could have told Vance stick it and stayed with us, but you chose to leave" McGee said raising his voice.

"No I didn't choose to leave. Just like I never chose to be put on that damn boat Vance sent me too" Tony snapped at him. "He gave me my new orders and sent me on my way. I thought Gibbs would tell Vance like hell he's going, but he said nothing. So I had no choice."

"There is always a choice Tony" McGee snapped back at him.

"This time I didn't." Tony said to him. "I would have gladly told Vance to shove it and stay here, but I couldn't. He didn't give me that choice" He said.

"Sure looked like you had a choice and you choose to leave" McGee said to him.

"So you are mad because I left?" Tony said.

"You abandoned the team. Tony DiNozzo who's rule number one is you never sit on the sidelines when your team needs you, well you sure sat on the sidelines" McGee said to him. "This team needed you and you walked away."

"I didn't have a choice" Tony said to him.

"You still walked away" McGee said. He turned back to face the elevator doors. He reached over flipped the emergency stop, so the power turned back on.

"Vance didn't give me a choice" Tony said, but before McGee or Tony could say another word, the elevator doors opened. The two stepped off the elevator, and walked to the bullpen. "Abby found something" Tony said as the entered the bullpen. McGee walked over to his desk.

"What is it Agent DiNozzo" Gibbs said.

"Turns out Gunnery Sergeant Morrison was married to Heidi Morrison, which I'm sure you figured out, but He was killed same way Corporal Richardson was killed. They were both poisoned." Tony said.

"And they both have another thing in common" Mack said as she walked into the bullpen with a file in her hand. "I went looking into the two victims once Abby said there was another case. Turns out before our two victims had a very different past before they joined the Marines, also they both worked in the same place" She said as he handed the file to Gibbs. "And there was a rare ruby there worth a lot, but it went missing" She started to explain more. "They were the last two people to see it in the Museum, and they vanished."

"To the point Johnson" Gibbs questioned her.

"Heidi Morrison is really Cynthia Montgomery, very nitrous jewel thief. She had two accomplishes, Andrew Rider and Scott Jackson." Mack said, she then walked over to computer and typed in a few things and pictures of Andrew and Scott come up on the plasma. "After the ruby was stolen all three vanished, no one could find them. It was like they disappeared off the face of the earth. Only they didn't, they all changed their names, and that's how we get Eric Richardson and Victor Morrison. They enlist and no one is the wiser. Not even their good friend Cynthia, because once they got their payday, they all took off. I'm thinking a deal went bad, Cynthia wasn't too happy and went looking for the men who screwed her out of her money. Only she didn't expect it to take so long. She finds them and kills them, takes off with the money and the jewels and she's a ghost again"

"Can you prove it?" Gibbs questioned.

"I can prove she's Cynthia Montgomery" Mack said to him. "But if you can find the money and the jewels, then I'm sure you can prove she killed them for it." Mack said, she typed in a few more things, before finding information on the Ruby. She then sent it to the plasma.

"I'd sure kill for that" Tony said.

"It's would explain the money" McGee said.

"Call Callen and let them know" Gibbs said to Tony.

"On it" Tony said. He then walked out of the bullpen as he reached for his phone.

"How'd you figure it out" McGee asked her.

"A lot of people have been looking for her for a long time now. When I first saw her picture I knew she looked familiar. Wasn't till Tony said she wasn't who she said she was." Mack said to him.

"Now we just need to prove it" Gibbs said.

* * *

There is a reason for McGee being mad at Tony. But you find that out later. Little Spoiler alert: I had this idea in my head for a certain scene and I just wrote it, and can tell you it's taken a small turn. But that's a farther into the story. But hope you are all enjoying the story. (if not, still going to write it because I'm enjoying writing it) ... And for those who question what will happen with Tony. His future is unsure right now. I have to ideas in my head and not sure which to do, so going to let the writing decide that one.


	7. Case Closed?

**Chapter Six- "Case Closed?"**

"So that it case closed?" Tony questioned Gibbs. They were the only two left in the bullpen, everyone else had gone to do something. Tony had made the call and just waiting for the word from Callen and Sam they are her in custody.

"You trying to go back to Los Angles so fast?" Gibbs asked him.

"No, just figured if I'm no longer needed why bother staying around?" Tony said to him.

"Abby believes we need you" Gibbs said to him.

"Abby cares a lot and I love her for it, but this isn't my team anymore." Tony said to him. "I'll just have to tell her I'll come out more"

"Just make sure your reports on my desk" Gibbs said. He got up from his chair and walked out of the bullpen.

"Why do I even bother" Tony said. He then turned to leave to see Ziva walking into the bullpen, the two just stood in a stand still for a moment. "I was just leaving" Tony finally said and then turned back around and started to leave.

"You do not have to leave, on my account" Ziva said, she then walked over to her desk. Tony stopped and turned back to face her, he walked over to her desk.

"I just don't want things to be weird" Tony said to her, not like they weren't already. After all they hadn't spoken in two years and now all of a sudden thrown together, without warning. "I want things how they have been, strictly professional."

"They are not weird" Ziva said to him. It was familiar, natural, right but never weird. "You are an amazing Agent Tony, it is only right you are here." Before Tony could respond, his cell phone went off.

"Excuse me" Tony said, he pulled his cell phone out and answered it as he walked over to the windows.

"So how long have you known Tony?" Mack asked McGee. They both stood in front of the vending Machine. McGee was getting his Nutter Butter and Mack already having a bag of chips in her hand. Once McGee had his Nutter Butter, the two moved their way over to a table and sat down.

"Eight years just about" McGee said to him, Mack could tell he didn't want to talk about Tony.

"He seems like a good Agent, but still the same guy I meet years ago" Mack said.

"Yeah he's a good Agent, one of the best I know" McGee said. "And I'm sure he hasn't… he's always been so childish.

"So if you don't mind me asking, why don't you talk anymore?" Mack asked him.

"He was transferred two years ago, and just haven't kept in touch" McGee said to her.

"Okay I've never been good at this whole dancing around the subject, so I'm just going to come right out and say it" Mack said to him. "Look what ever issues you have going on with Tony, let them go. And no Tony didn't put me up to this, frankly he doesn't know. But the moment I saw you and Ziva see Tony in the bullpen, I saw that you cared about him. That you were glad he was here, though neither of you will say it." She continued to say. "I might not be as skilled as Ziva or as smart as you, but when you have a family full of cops, you learn a thing or two, like how to read someone's face, most importantly what they are saying in their eyes. Sure Gibbs and Ziva can go on about all these ways to tell how someone lies, but can they tell you that right now you want to go to Tony and tell him he should come back. Well maybe Gibbs can because he knows everything, he still blows my mind. But my point McGee, is you know you care about Tony and this whole being angry at him thing is it really worth it?"

"You don't know anything Mack" McGee said to her.

"I know enough McGee" Mack said to him. "I know you don't want to be mad at him anymore"

"He left us" McGee snapped at her.

"And you can't forgive him for that?" Mack questioned him. "Yet you've worked with him for how long? I'd say that trumps anything else." Mack got up from her chair.

"It's not that simple" McGee said to her.

"Sometimes McGee the not so simple things are the simplest." Mack said before walking away.

"That was Callen" Tony said as he walked into the bullpen, just as Gibbs and Mack were walking in from the other site. "Heidi Richardson left Los Angles. Eric checked her credit cards and she bought a way one ticket to D.C. Plane took off two hours ago."

"Looks like you're sticking around DiNozzo" Gibbs said to him. "DiNozzo, I want you and Ziver to pick her up when her plane lands." Gibbs said.

"You got it" Tony said, he looked briefly at Ziva, before walked out of the bullpen.

"Johnson, I want everything you can get on this Cynthia Montgomery." Gibbs said, before he walked out of the bullpen again, this time on a coffee run.

"Look Ziva" Mack said as she walked over to Ziva's desk. "If I was out of line early, I just wanted to say I wasn't trying to be…" Mack started to say.

"You were just trying to help, I get that" Ziva said to her. She stood up from her desk. "I appreciate it. You spoke from the heart, now it is my turn"

"If you are going to yell at me, can we just skip that part and say I was wrong and move on" Mack said.

"It is not you I need to talk to" Ziva said to her. "We are fine"

"Good, I'd hate for you to be mad at me, plus I know you could kill me" Mack said, with a small laugh, Ziva let out a small laugh as well.

"I should be going" Ziva said, she then walked out of the bullpen and towards the stairs to Vance's office.

"And then there was one" Mack said, as he walked back over to her desk.

* * *

So the last chapter and possible this chapter a little bit, are bit like space fillers, because were I am going with this, trying to do it a certain way, I have it mapped out. But up coming chapters should be a bit better. Currently working on two bigger chapters. But like I said either way still going to post it, because I am enjoying writing it.


	8. We Need Him

**Chapter Seven- "We Need Him"**

Ziva walked to the door, once she was given the okay. She opened the door and walked in. Once she was in the room, she closed the door before walking over to Vance's desk.

"What can I do for you Officer David?" Vance said as he looked up at her.

"I was wondering if I could talk to you about something" Ziva said to him.

"What about?" Vance asked her.

"Tony" Ziva said to him.

"Agent Gibbs" Tony said as he walked into the bullpen as us Gibbs did with his coffee. "Agent Callen would like to talk to you. MTAC in two minutes." Before Gibbs made it to his desk, he turned around and he and Tony headed up to MTAC. Once they were in MTAC, Tony told the guy to bring it up. Within second Callen was on the screen.

"Gibbs" Callen said.

"Callen" Gibbs said back to him.

"Tony treating you all nicely?" Callen asked.

"I'm right here Callen" Tony said as he stepped into view and next to Gibbs. "What do you have?"

"Well it turns out the two Petty Officers said to be friends with Corporal Richardson, weren't friends at all. Sam and I questioned them again, once we were told of his time of death. They finally told us, Corporal Richardson's wife paid them to tell anyone asking about her husband they were with him, the same with the Bartender." Callen said to them.

"That proves it" Tony said.

"It just proves she has something to hide DiNozzo" Gibbs said to him. "Find any of the stolen money or jewels?"

"We check the house and nothing. If she has them she's hiding them somewhere else." Callen said.

"Anything else?" Tony asked him

"I'd watch out for Sam when you get back Tony" Callen said to him.

"That was all Deeks" Tony said to him.

"Right" Callen said to him.

"The Case" Gibbs said.

"We are still looking into to see if she has any storage leases that could lead us to where she's hiding the stolen money and jewels. If we get anything we'll be sure to let you know." Callen told them.

"Be sure to keep us updated" Gibbs said and then he headed out of MTAC.

"That's good work Callen" Tony said, he then gave the signal to end it. And he soon followed Gibbs and left.

"What about Tony would you like to talk about Officer David?" Vance asked her.

"He belongs here Director" Ziva said to him. "It was a mistake to have sent him to another team"

"So are you asking me to have Tony transferred back to Gibbs team" Vance questioned her.

"This team needs him" Ziva said to him.

"It's not that simple Officer David" Vance said to her. "I cannot just simply transfer him back and I will have to talk to Agent Gibbs."

"It is not Gibb's choice" Ziva said to him.

"Gibbs is the one who recommended I transfer him to his own team." Vance said to her.

"I am the one that told him one of us needed to be transferred" Ziva said to him. For the first time in two years someone else was finally let in to what really happened before they all got on the plane. "I made the wrong choice and it cost Tony is job here. Tony belongs here, I do not"

"I think Gibbs would beg to differ on that one" Vance said referring to Ziva not belonging on the team.

"It does not matter what Gibbs says." Ziva said to him. "Tony belongs with this team, and I was wrong to think otherwise."

"I will see what I can do, but like I said it won't be easy" Vance said to her.

"All I ask is you try" Ziva said to him.

"I will talk to him" Vance said to her.

"Thank you" Ziva said before walking out of the office. She then head back down to the bullpen, where Tony was waiting. He was sitting behind McGee's desk once again, with everyone else somewhere else. "Where is everyone?" Ziva asked as she walked behind her desk.

"Agent McGee is with Agent Johnson in Abby's Lab. Agent Gibbs went on another coffee run and then was going to see Ducky." Tony said to her. "And I've been here waiting for you."

"I had something to take care of" Ziva said to him.

"Not going to question it. Just figured I'd sit down and wait since everyone else had their hands full" Tony said to her.

"Well I am back. We can go now" Ziva said to him. She grabbed her badge and gun. She placed her gun in the holster. She grabbed her jacket and put it one, before walking out from behind her desk and looking at Tony.

"Let's go then" Tony said. He got up from the chair and walked out from behind the desk. He walked over to the desk he had all his stuff at and grabbed his jacket. He and Ziva headed towards the elevator. Once they were in the elevator and the doors had closed, Tony turned to Ziva. "I know things aren't what they used to be, but I was hoping maybe we can skip the awkward silence. "

"Sometimes it cannot be ignored Tony" Ziva said to him, as she stayed facing forward.

"I guess awkward silence it is" Tony said before facing forward once again.

"You can't ignore him forever McGee" Abby said to him. She knew he was hiding out in her lab to avoid Tony.

"Can't I?" McGee said. He sat in the empty chair next at her main computer, while Abby worked with the evidence she had that was on the evidence table.

"McGee you know I love you, but this whole hating on Tony, it's not right" Abby said to him.

"What don't you all get, he walked away from us" McGee said to her.

"And you feel abandoned by him" Abby said to him. "Because Tony's always been there and you've always been his Probie. When that wasn't there anymore, it was like things weren't right"

"He shouldn't have been transferred to begin with Abby" McGee said to him.

"I know McGee" Abby said to him. "But Vance had to go and break up the team once again"

"At least was a reason for it last time, this time there was no reason" McGee said. "It's almost like it was because of the whole fall out with Rivkin." He started to say. "You don't think it really had something to do with Ziva and Rivkin?"

"I've been trying to figure that one out for two years now McGee" Abby said to him.

"No Vance would have put him on desk duty or something, he wouldn't have promoted him" McGee said trying to figure out what was really going on.

"Tony away from the team is a punishment McGee" Abby said to him. She then walked over to her computer and next to McGee.

"What are you working on anyways Abby?" McGee questioned Abby, changing the subject.

"A case" Abby said. She knew she couldn't say too much, because it was just between her and Gibbs right now. She wasn't even sure if the Director knew or not.

"What kind of case?" McGee questioned.

"Just know it's very important, and I can't tell you" Abby said to him. "And no it's not the director."

"So you are doing this case for?" McGee questioned her. Abby just looked away not wanting to tell him. She was told not to say a world, till he had everything he needed and she need to stick by it. "Abby" McGee said to her, but still no response. Abby just kept looking at her computer.

* * *

I know your all waiting for the truth and the fall out to come out, And can say it I coming I swear. Part one is the chapter after this, and then following that is another part of the fall out. But having rewrite a few things, because I want to change the direction they originally went. So it is coming, but also trying to put in certain things that will come later.


	9. Bump in the Road

**Chapter Eight- "Bump in the Road"**

It took them for what felt like forever to drive to the airport. Neither one of them said anything to each other. They just drove in complete silence and neither of them looking at each other either. Once they had reached the airport, they headed in both still not saying a word. They made their way through the airport, after showing they were from NCIS and were directed to the gate the flight from Los Angles would be coming to. Now all Tony and Ziva had to do was wait for her to walk out, so they could bring her in. Hoping to do it as peaceful as possible and without making a big scene.

"What did you mean?" Ziva said finally breaking the silence between the two of them.

"What?" Tony said as he turned his head to look at her.

"You had said to answer my question you did. You lied. What did you mean?" Ziva said still facing forward.

"You had asked me if I was jealous and I said no" Tony said as he turned his head back to face the direction or the gate. "I lied I was." Tony said to her. The two stood there for a moment not sure what to say to each other really. Then Tony finally spoke up. "Not because I liked you in that way, we were partners, but because it seemed like there was a part of you that you kept from me but would share with him, it's stupid I know. Childish even" Tony said, he then turned his head and looked back at Ziva. "It's just things changed when we all came back after Vance broke up the team. We all fit together and it didn't seem like that anymore."

"Things did change Tony" Ziva said to him.

"Yeah they did" Tony said and turned his head back. "Ziva…. I'm sorry"

"You have nothing to be sorry for" Ziva said to him as she turned her head to looked at him. "It was I that was wrong. I should never have doubted you"

"So why did you, doubt me?" Tony questioned her as he turned to face her.

"I trusted Michael. I did not believe he would betray me." Ziva started to say.

"You loved him" Tony said, more as a statement then a questioned. He had questioned her once before when everything first happened and she had responded 'I guess I'll never know'. But he could see she cared very deeply for him or even loved him.

"I cared for him yes" Ziva said to him. "But I was wrong. I had forgotten who I could trust. And I am sorry Tony. You were following your instincts and I should never have faulted you for that. We were a cop and I had forgotten that."

"I went there to protect you Ziva" Tony said to her. "My gut told me when your address came up that it was Rifkin, not you. I went there to talk to you so in case you knew anything you could explain it to me and if you needed it protection. I wasn't going to let go down for something you didn't do"

"You risked everything..." Ziva started to say to him.

"For you" Tony finished her sentence. "You were my partner; I'd lay my life on the line for you. It's what we do" Tony said to her.

"I am sorry Tony." Ziva said to him. He knew she meant it. "I made a grave error in judgment I am just sorry it came too late." She said.

"You trusted him Ziva, like you said you didn't want to believe he could betray you. Sometimes people can fool you" Tony said to her, trying to let her know he understands. "I know that one too well"

"That was not the error I was talking about Tony" Ziva said to him.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked her, looking at her confused.

"I ….made him chose" Ziva said. She looked down at the ground not wanting to see his reaction. "I was wrong and you suffered because of it. He was wrong, it should be you not me." Ziva said as she looked up at him.

"You gave him a choice?" Tony questioned her. She nodded her head. "You gave Gibbs a…a choice? You or me? And…and he chose you?" Tony couldn't believe what he just heard. Gibbs his boss, someone he looked up too, a friend betrayed him. Something inside him felt like it shattered.

"At the time I…I did not trust you. I was mad, you had just killed Michael." She said to him. "I was wrong, he should have chose you"

"But he didn't. He chose you, why?" Tony asked her.

"He wanted to protect me. He did not trust my father" Ziva said to him.

"He chose you why?" Tony questioned again, the tone of his voice getting louder.

"I just told you" Ziva said to him confused.

"No you ARE Mossad, you are NOT an NCIS AGENT. He would never choose you over one of his agents" Tony snapped at her.

"He..." Ziva started to say not truly sure what to say to that.

"He what Ziva? He tossed out everything knew and lived by to protect you?" Tony said to her.

"Tony this is not the place" Ziva said to him.

"You bring her in" Tony said, before he walked away, He just needed to clear his head. Just when he thought things might actually go back to normal he was hit with this bomb shell. His boss, Gibbs, someone he's worked with for 7 years chose someone he knew for only 4 years over him. He couldn't figure out how this could all have happened. About five minutes into his walk, Tony realized what he was doing. He had told Gibbs the case came first and though Gibbs couldn't stick by what he said; Tony was going to stand by what he said. Tony turned around and headed back to where Ziva was. Once Tony reached the gate, Ziva had already gotten Heidi in custody and was walking towards him.

"I thought you said?" Ziva questioned him.

"The case comes first remember" Tony said to her. Without another word, Ziva and Tony brought Heidi back to the car, and the headed back to the navy base.

"Stop changing the subject Abby" McGee said to her as he followed her into the next room. Abby walked over to her desk and sat down.

"I'm not changing the subject you are. We were talking about you and Tony not me" Abby said to him.

"No you brought it back up, so we wouldn't have to talk about you" McGee said to her.

"No you changed the subject because you didn't want to deal with your feeling abandoned by Tony." Abby said to him. "Which leads us back to, you can't avoid him forever"

"Avoid who?" Gibbs said as he walked into the room with McGee and Abby.

"The same person you are avoiding Gibbs" Abby said. She got up from her desk and walked back into the main room and back to her computer. "I wasn't expecting you so soon, Gibbs"

"McGee Agent Johnson is upstairs, she needs assistance with looking through video footage" Gibbs said to him.

"On it Boss" McGee said before he walked out of the Lab. Abby watched as he left before looked at Gibbs once she was sure McGee was gone.

"Could have just asked him to leave, we both know where Agent Johnson is" Abby said to him.

"What do you got Abby?" Gibbs asked her.

"I told you I wasn't expecting you so soon. I haven't gotten any hits yet" Abby said to him. "I even expended it like you ask me to and…" Before Abby could finish what she was going to say, her computer dinged. She turned to face it and look at the results. "You were right, it was him Gibbs" Abby said and turned her head to looks at Gibbs who was now standing next to her.

"Good job Abby" Gibbs said to her. He leaned over and kissed her fore head.

"Are you going to tell her?" Abby asked him. Gibbs just looked at her. "Gibbs"

"I will" Gibbs finally answered before he walked out of the Lab.


	10. That Hill Over There

**Chapter Nine- "That Hill Over There"**

Tony sat at the table in Vance's office. He felt like he has been sent to the principle office. All he knew was when Ziva and he got back with Heidi he was told Vance wanted to see him right away. He had watched Ziva bring Heidi to interrogation and headed up to Vance's office and now here he sat with no Vance in sight. Tony was just about to get up and leave to see how the team was doing with getting a confession when Vance walked through the door.

"Agent DiNozzo" Vance said as he walked over to his desk.

"You're sending me back aren't you?" Tony questioned him. He knew his current placement wasn't going to last long, but he thought it last longer than it did.

"No, they have actually requested that you stay. Seems you left quit the impression on them Agent DiNozzo" Vance said to Tony.

"Then what is this about Director?" Tony asked him as he stood up and walked over to Vance's desk.

"It has recently come to my attention another team is requesting you. " Vance started to say. "So I'm asking you where you'd like to go"

"We both know it doesn't work like that" Tony said to him. "So that means its Agent Gibbs asking if he can have me back, right" Tony said to him. "Here's my choice, this team was my home, my family for seven years. I wouldn't want to be anywhere else"

"So you want to be transferred back to Gibb's team" Vance questioned. "You know that means giving up so much"

"Had you asked me 24 hours ago I would have told you yes. Agent Gibbs will have my report when the case is closed and I'm going to LA." Tony said to him. "I don't belong here anymore" Tony said to Vance before he walked out of his office.

"So that's it?" McGee asked as he and Ziva walked out of the observation room. "She just confessed there has got to be more to it" McGee said as they walked walking back to their desks.

"McGee it is Gibbs." Ziva said to him.

"You have a point. I just figured she's stone wall, or ask for a deal. Not just come right out and confess." McGee said.

"Maybe she knew she had nothing left…." Ziva started to stay before she trailed off.

"You okay Ziva?" McGee asked her.

"I am fine." Ziva responded back to him. The two walked back to the bullpen without another single word. Once they reached it, there was Tony sitting at the desk he was giving for the time he was going to be there, doing paper work. McGee and Ziva walked over to their desks and looked at each other. McGee then moved away from his desk and walked over to Tony.

"Tony can we talk? McGee asked him.

"I was just leaving" Ziva said. She walked out from behind her desk and headed towards the elevator.

"What would you like Agent McGee?" Tony asked as he looked up as McGee.

"To say I'm sorry" McGee said to him. Tony got up from his chair and turned to face McGee completely. "You've always been Senior Field Agent and when you left, sorry when you transferred, it felt more like you were abandoning us, me, the team. And I hate you for it, but I realize now I was wrong."

"I didn't want to leave." Tony said he knew he said it many times before, but yet it still came out. "So much happened and I guess when it came down to it, there was only so much to be done. In the end I was the one who had to make the biggest change." Tony started to say to him. "But Probie I'd never abandon you. I got your back, just like I know you have mine. We were a team and no matter how much I teased you or annoyed you, at the end of the day if you needed help or saving I'd be there"

"That's what partners do, they have each other's back" McGee said to him.

"I'm sorry McGee" Tony said to him.

"I am to Tony" McGee said. "You know things really haven't been the same around here since you left."

"They look like things haven't changed much" Tony said to him.

"Gibbs doesn't smack us in the back of the head anymore. It's been a lot quieter since you've been gone. We all seem to get more paperwork done." McGee said naming off different things that had changed.

"So you are all, all work and no play" Tony said teasing. "Just like you all."

"To be honest, the first couple of months you were gone Gibbs was yelling at us all. Mackenzie had just joined and if we didn't move fast enough he'd yell. We didn't have the answers right away he'd yell." McGee said to him. "It was like when Kate was killed, only instead of being nice, he was extremely pissed off."

"You know what happens when things don't go his way" Tony said to him.

"This… This was different" McGee said.

"McGee have you seen Gibbs" McGee and Tony heard a voice say. They both looked over to see Mack walking into the bullpen looking down at and opened folder in her hand. She then stopped and looked up. "I wasn't interrupting something was I?"

"Nope Agent McGee here was just telling me that Heidi Richardson confessed. So I'm guessing you'll find Agent Gibbs in interrogation." Tony said to her.

"Thank you" Mack said before closing the folder and walking past them and heading off to interrogation.

"You've known Mack how long?" McGee asked him.

"I knew her brother and like she said only met her a couple times why?" Tony asked back.

"She's been working here two years now. Gibbs hired her right after meeting her. But it was more of we had interviewed a lot of people and she comes in and was hired" McGee said to him. "She's a great Agent, and maybe I'm just being paranoid or something, but there have been times, when we have been working on a case she'll take off and come back with all this information. Gibbs never questioned it and next thing you know everything's falling into place."

"Maybe she just knows a lot of high up people. Connections McGee it's nice to have them" Tony said to him.

Mack walked down the hall to Interrogation and just as she reached the door, Gibbs walked out. He closed the door and turned to face her.

"I have all the information you wanted" Mack started to tell him as she handed him the file. "There is one small problem" Gibbs looked down at the files as he opened it and started reading it. He looked up at Mack.

"I was afraid of that" Gibbs said. He then handed the file back to Mack. "Go see Abby. Hopefully the two of you can fix this" Gibbs said before he headed off.

"On it" Mack said after Gibbs was already gone. She then headed towards Abby's Lab.

**Later That Night**

Tony walked up to the front down and turned the door knob and just like in the past Gibbs door was opened. 'Something's never change' Tony thought to himself as he walked into the house. He knew Gibbs wouldn't be upstairs, he was never upstairs. Tony continued in after he closed the door, to the basement door. That was wise open like always. He walked through and headed down the stairs to the basement were Gibbs was once again working on yet another boat. Once he reached the bottom he stopped and looked at Gibbs. "We need to talk" Tony said to him. Gibbs stopped what he was doing and turned to face Tony.

* * *

Going to the last one for a while. Having issues with the next couple of chapters, trying to figure out what to do. The next chapter is written and completed, I just like being a certain number of chapters ahead before I post a new one. So going to get those all figured out then you'll get the next chapter. hopefully the next chapter will be worth the wait for you all.


	11. Calm Before The Storm

**Chapter Ten- "Calm Before The Storm"**

Gibbs walked over and picked up the saw house and placed it down next to the work bench. Then he picked up chair and placed that across from the saw house. Without saying a word he offered the set to Tony. Tony walked over and just stood in front of Gibbs.

"I don't plan on staying long" Tony said.

"What is it we need to talk about, DiNozzo?" Gibbs questioned him.

"Oh don't you dare DiNozzo me. You lost that right, the moment you chose Ziva" Tony said, just getting right to why he was there.

"It isn't what you think" Gibbs said to him.

"Isn't what think?" Tony questioned, not sure how he could even say that. "For two years Gibbs I have wondered what I did WRONG! How I let the team DOWN! When all along it was you, it was all YOU."

"Let me explain" Gibbs said.

"Explain what? That you chose the Mossad Liaison instead of your actual Senior Field Agent?" Tony snapped at him, raising his voice a bit. "For two years I have been trying to figure out what if I had done this or what if I had done that would I still be on the team. I have been driving myself crazy because I thought I was the one who was wrong. That I didn't live up to the great Leroy Jethro Gibbs enough so you shipped me off to the first available team you could find." Tony continue to say, he voice lower. "I could never understand why you just let me walk out that day. Why you let Vance transfer me again, but now it all makes sense. Vance is close with Director David and his daughters on the team. Don't want to disappoint dear old daddy. And DiNozzo killed one of his Agents so he'll be easy enough to get rid of. So what was it some deal you had with Vance. Get rid of me and you get to keep Ziva the professional killer."

"That isn't it at all" Gibbs said to him.

"And don't you dare give me that bull you wanted to protect her, because its bull shit" Tony snapped at him.

"It's the truth DiNozzo" Gibbs yelled trying to get his attention and cutting him off before he could say another world. "Just like you went to her house that night to protect her, I chose her to protect her" Gibbs said lowering his voice back down. "If I had left her with her father we would never have seen her again."

"Well I'm glad you made the best choice" Tony said to him coldly.

"If I had a choice I would have chosen you both." Gibbs said to him.

"You had a choice and you chose Ziva. What does that say?" Tony snapped at him. "My report will be on your desk in the morning." Tony said and started to walk towards the stars. He then stopped and turned to face Gibbs. "Next time you need help, don't call me." Tony said before he turned back to continued to the stairs.

"You and I both know Eli isn't a good man" Gibbs said. Tony stopped and turned back to Gibbs.

"Doesn't change you chose Ziva over me." Tony said to him. "You don't get it. I looked up to you; you had been more than a boss to me. You were a mentor and even more a father to me then my own. Only to find out it really didn't mean anything at all."

"That isn't true and you know that" Gibbs said to him.

"I don't know what to believe anymore" Tony said to him.

Ziva stood in the elevator for a moment, the doors had opened twice already, but she couldn't get herself to walk out off the elevator. She knew what she had to do, but was finding it so hard. Finally once the doors opened a third time she walked off and continued into Abby's lab, where Abby, Mack and McGee were all arguing about something.

"The two of you have been up to something for weeks now. What is it?" McGee questioned them.

"McGee just know it is very important and you'll find out soon. We can't say anything" Abby said to him.

"You're just going to have to trust us McGee" Mack said to him.

"Ziva" Abby said, as soon as Mack had finished talking.

"I did not mean to interrupt." Ziva said to them as she walked into the Lab move and over to them.

"Nope not interrupting" Abby said with a smile.

"I was hoping I could talk to you and McGee" Ziva said.

"Of course, I was just leaving anyways" Mack said, before rushing out the door before McGee could stop her.

"What is it Ziva?" Abby asked her.

"I owe you both the truth" Ziva said to them. "About what really happened in Tell Aviv"

"What do you mean?" McGee questioned her.

"I mean McGee, Tony was transferred because of me." Ziva told them.

"I'm sorry can you say that one again?" Abby asked not sure she heard it right.

"I am the reason Tony was transferred" Ziva said, she knew that they were going to be upset with her and she knew she deserved it. "I told Gibbs I could not trust Tony and that one of us should be transferred" Ziva started to explain to them. "He chose me because he did not trust my father. He said he did not want me going to back there."

"Well this explains everything" Abby said coldly. "Why Gibbs never fought for Tony to come back and why he had me going on a wild goose hunt" Abby snapped. McGee just stood there not sure what to say. "How on earth could you not trust Tony? Tony risk everything to protect you and you… pull something like this? How could you?"

"I was wrong" Ziva said softly. She was just going to let them yell at her. She was done with everything, the truth needed to be told and the fall out needed to happen. "He had just killed Michael, and though deep down I knew Tony was right, I did not want to believe someone I cared about could betray me. I was blinded by what I wanted to believe" Ziva told her as tears started to form in her eyes, but she was going to try her hardest not to let them fall.

"You were selfish that is what you were." Abby snapped at her. "You didn't care about anyone else but yourself and that cost us Tony."

"Abby" McGee said, shocked by what Abby was saying.

"No McGee. You can't stand here and say what she did was right. She made Gibbs chose and we lost Tony because of it" Abby said to him.

"But Gibbs made the choice Abby" McGee said to her. He knew how much she cared for Gibbs and how this was breaking her heart. Gibbs someone she's worked with and loved for years made a decision that coast her someone else she cared about.

"Are you really going to stand here and defend her?" Abby snapped as she turned to look at her.

"No, but it doesn't mean you can rip her head off for everything. Gibbs made the choice" McGee said to her.

"I know" Abby said and turned away from them both.

"I am truly sorry Abby, McGee" Ziva said to them. She knew what this was going to coast her; she just didn't realize she wasn't as prepared for it as she first thought. "I have asked Director Vance to transfer him back, he belongs here" Ziva said, she then turned away from them and headed out of the lab. "I do not" Ziva said under her breath as she left the Lab.

"You know when you came back from leaving the team flat; Jenny offered me a chance to have my own team." Tony started to say to him in a calm voice. "I turned it down. I chose to stay with the team because I believe we were just that a Team." Tony said. "I guess I was wrong"

"We are a team" Gibbs said to him.

"No, it's Gibbs way or no way. If you don't like it then it doesn't happen." Tony snapped at him. "We live by the rules you chose to enforce on us, but when it comes to you, you can't even follow them. You think you are so above it all, everyone else be damned. Well news flash Gibbs you aren't all that great." Tony said to him. "And one of these days, it's all going to come crashing around you and no one will be there to help you." Tony turned his back to Gibes and walked to the stars. Once he reached them he started walking up them.

"I'm sorry Tony" Gibbs says. Tony stopped just as he was about to reach the door to leave and stopped. He turned and looked down at Gibbs.

"Never Apologize, it's a sign of weakness" Tony said to him, before he turned back and headed out the door to the first floor of the house and then headed out of the house.

* * *

_Kind of came out like I wanted to, still might try and change it, but well see._


	12. Leave On One Goodbye

**Chapter Eleven- "Leave On One Goodbye"**

Tony walked into the bullpen knowing it was the last time he would be here. It seemed almost anti-climatic to him. He walked over to Gibbs desk and placed the report on his desk. Tony then turned and walked out of the bullpen and towards Abby's Lab. He wanted to make sure he said goodbye to Abby and McGee before he left. They were the only ones he didn't want to leave behind. Abby was always someone he cared about and always would. Then there was McGee who he had made peace with and didn't want to lose that again.

Once the elevator stopped and the doors opened, Tony walked off. He was greeted with the sweet sounds of Abby's music. Something he had and would miss dearly. Tony continued on his way into Abby's lab only to find Abby, McGee and Mack all together working on something. Tony moved in more and coughed to get their attention. All three of them stopped what they were doing and turned to face him.

"Tony" Abby said as she moved over to him and hugged.

"Good morning to you too Abby" Tony said and hugged her back. Abby pulled back and looked at Tony.

"Ziva told us why you were transferred" Abby said to him. "It should never have happened"

"But it did Abby. Sometimes we need to go were life takes us and not question it" Tony said to her. "My life has taken me to Los Angles. It's where I need to be right now."

"No Tony you can't leave us" Abby said, with a pleading look in her eyes. Tony knew she didn't want him to leave and he didn't want to leave, or at least leave her behind again.

"I don't belong here, not anymore" Tony said.

"Of course you do" Abby said to him.

"No I don't" Tony said. "My plane leaves in a couple hours. I just wanted to tell you and McGee that I might be leaving, but I'm not leaving you two behind." Tony looked from Abby to McGee and then back at Abby. "I will come back and visit and I hope you'll both come out and visit me as well"

"You know I will" McGee said to him with a smile.

"You'd have to kill me to keep me away from you" Abby said to him.

"Good" Tony said smiling back at them.

"I got your message what do you got Abs" Gibbs said he walked into the room.

"Besides no Tony?" Abby snapped at him, before moved back over to her computer. "You were right as always"

"Do you have something you want to say Abby?" Gibbs questioned her.

"You choose Zee-va over Tony, because you wanted to keep her away from dear old daddy?" Abby said coldly to him. She turned and looked at him. "Her brother killed Kate and tried to kill you, who's to say she wouldn't turn on us and kill us all" Abby said. She knew that wouldn't happen after working with her for so long, but she was angry and just needed to vent.

"Abby you know that wouldn't happen" McGee said

"Who's to say" Abby snapped.

"Your right who's to say." Gibbs said agreeing with her. "But I chose Ziva because I knew Tony was safer then Ziva would ever be." Gibbs said. "Just like I choose Tony to take over the team, when I left, because I knew he could handle it."

"Still doesn't make it right. Tony's been on this team longer then Ziva, he didn't deserve what you did" Abby said to him.

"He didn't, but I made the choice and I have to live with it" Gibbs said.

"I have to go talk to the director, but I will be back to say goodbye to you and McGee, Abby" Tony said, before heading out of the lab.

"Yeah you do" Abby said to him. "You have to live with choosing Ziva over Tony. I just hope it was worth it Gibbs" Abby said before walking past him and over to her desk. She made sure to close the door and lock it before turning up her music.

"She's upset…" McGee started too said to Gibbs.

"I know" Gibbs said. "I would be too if I was her"

"Why'd you do it boss?" McGee asked.

"To protect her, from the person I knew Eli to be" Gibbs said. "Why aren't you yelling at me too?"

"When Tony left, or rather was forced to leave, I took it as Tony was abandoning this team, everything he stood for and me. Abby helped me realize since Tony has been back, that that wasn't it at all. I was wrong to jump to conclusions then to really questions things." McGee said to him. "So I'm giving you the chance I never gave Tony. I want to hear your side of the story and I know there was much more than protecting her from Eli"

"I wish I could give you answer, but I don't think I really have one" Gibbs said to him.

"You have a reason for everything you do" McGee said to him. "Before I join this team, I had heard so many different stories about Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and since working with you, I can say a lot of them aren't true. But the ones that are, are the ones that say you never do something without having a reason." McGee said. "So if you are going to stand here and tell me there was no reason, then yeah I'm going agree with Abby" Gibbs walked past Tim and over to the other side of the room. He stood there looking up and out the window.

"He was one of the best Agents I ever had" Gibbs started to stay. He turned and looked at Tim. "He might not have done things conventionally, but he got them done." Gibbs continued to say. Unknowing to them, that Tony walked up to the door of the lab. He had misplaced his phone and on his way to look for it in the lab, when he heard Gibbs talking to McGee and stopped. He stayed back and out of sight. "He was a pain in the ass, but when it came down it, he stepped up and did what needed to be done" Gibbs said to McGee. He moved a bit closer to McGee. "I was truly proud of Tony; I am truly Proud of Tony. He's deserved everything he's worked so hard for." Gibbs said to him. "When choosing between Ziva and Tony, I knew that where ever Tony landed it be on his feet and he'd be just fine. Ziva, I didn't trust her with her father. I didn't know what I'd be sending Ziva back to. Tony we would have seen again, but Ziva there is no doubt in my mind that said if she went back to Mossad, we would never have seen her again"

Tony moved away from the door and back towards the stairs. He wasn't sure what to think really, not even 24 hours ago he was ripping Gibbs a new one. Now he was hearing this? It didn't mean Tony forgave him for anything he had done, he just wondered if maybe he should have let him say something else. Gibbs was right about one thing that he did believe in him. It only came a little too late. There was no way to turn back now. Before Tony knew it he was standing outside the Directors office, with his secretary telling him he could go in. Tony walked in and closed the door before walking over to Director Vance's desk.

"You still have a chance to change your mind" Vance said to him.

"This is where I belong now. That team was the past, and this one is my future." Tony responded to him. "That's a good team in LA, a really good team. Couldn't have asked for a better team to be part of."

"I know you'll serve us well in LA" Vance said to them. "Agent DiNozzo, have a safe trip back" Tony gave him a small smile before heading out of the office. Vance then leaned over to phone and pushed the button to call his secretary "Lydia can you get Special Agent Gibbs in my office" He asked and Lydia responded right away.

Tony finally reached the airport, he thought he's miss his flight for sure, if Abby hadn't finally let him go. He knew she didn't want him to go and truthfully he didn't want to leave Abby or McGee again. They were his friends and he hated leaving them behind, but he knew this time McGee and him would keep in touch and Abby, well he couldn't get rid of Abby even if he wanted to, which he'd never wanted to do. He could still remember the day they met. She wasn't like any of the women he met before, there was just something about her, and he couldn't help but love. It wasn't till working with her for a while, that he finally realized why, she was caring, always saw the best in people. She always knew how to brighten up your day. He knew he'd miss her the most, after all he knew her the longest, besides Gibbs that was.

Tony shook the thoughts about what he heard out of his mind, as I headed towards the gate. He still had some time before the plane was to board. He pulled out his phone, looking to see if he had any messages, or and emails waiting for him. There was one from Hetty, he started to skim through it, and it was just her keeping him up to date and telling him to head right to the OSP center as soon as he had landed. There was much to do and little time to do it. As he was just about to call Callen, he heard a familiar voice. He turned to see Ziva standing next to the window on the phone, yelling at someone in Hebrew. Tony stood up and walked over to her, he reached her just as she was getting off the phone.

"Ziva?" Tony said almost questioned it like he was seeing things. "What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk" Ziva said, looking at him not all surprised he had found her.

* * *

AN: Sorry for the lack of updates. Trying to get back into the story and get it back to where I wanted it. I am thinking of maybe rebooting it. We'll see. still trying to figure things out. There is one thing in my head I know I want to get out, that I am kind of hoping with explain more to action taken, and what's going on. If I can't make it happen, they way I want it to, I will most likely reboot it.


	13. Forgiveness?

**Chapter Twelve- "Forgiveness?"**

"We have nothing to talk about" Tony said to her coldly. "If you are here to try and get him to forgive you or Jethro, you've wasted your time" Tony said, before talking back over to his seat. Ziva quickly followed.

"I am not here for Gibbs or by orders of Gibbs. I am here… It does not matter why I am here" Ziva said to him. "All that matters is we need to talk."

"I have nothing to say to you anymore" Tony said to her.

"Then just listen" Ziva said to him. She sat down next to Tony, hoping he'd at least listen to what she had to say. "I had no right to ask Gibbs to choose between you and me. I was angry and I was hurt. Tony you had just killed Michael, My father was demanding I return to Mossad. I was confused. When I told Gibbs one of us needed to be transferred, I just wanted to know I mattered to him. That he was willing to do what it took to get me to stay. I never expected him to actually let you go Tony." She started to explain to him. She knew things wouldn't change, but at least he'd know the truth.

"What was it you expected Ziva?" Tony snapped at her as he turned to look at her. "Why was staying so important to you?"

"It does not matter anymore" Ziva said to him. All that mattered was he got the truth, even if it meant leaving out some things.

"Clearly it does matter Ziva. Otherwise I'd still be at my desk, maybe we could've actually gotten past this. And maybe we actually could've been a team. But for some reason you thought it was necessary to make Jethro pick you" Tony snapped at her. "I want to know why?"

"That is not important" Ziva said to him.

"It is to you" Tony said to her. "Why was Jethro choosing you so important Ziva?"

"Because I wanted to know I mattered to Gibbs. That someone actually possible cared about more than just a weapon they could use. I wanted to know that killing Ari was not for nothing." Ziva yelled at him. Tony stopped dead in his tracks when he heard her say that. "That he actually gave a damn about me. I wanted something more than I had. You were there, my father uses people. They follow his order and they get it done, at any coast." Ziva said starting to lower her voice. "When I asked my father what he expected of me, he said that he expected me to be loyal to him and to finish what Michael started. It is always about the mission for him. He does not care about me, and Gibbs does."

Gibbs walked passed Lydia's desk and straight into Vance's office. He always did hate when he was summoned, but even before he got the call he knew what it was about. After what had happened last night Gibbs knew he messed up. Tony was right and he needed to figure out a way to make this all work now. Abby was furious with him, McGee wasn't sure what to believe, and then there was Ziva, she was regretting everything from the moment Gibbs told her to stay. He tried to make it okay, justify it, but the moment Tony came back into the bullpen the feelings he knew had come back. He closed the door and looked at Vance.

"You really screwed this one up Gibbs" Vance said to him. Gibbs just stood there, knowing he really had nothing to say to counter it or say otherwise. "He's heading back to California and the LA Team"

"Some good Agents there, he'll be fine" Gibbs said to him. "I know this isn't about Tony" Gibbs said to Vance. He knew this was more than just pointing out everything Gibbs had done wrong.

"Right" Vance said. He got up from his chair, walked out from behind his desk and over to his mini bar.  
"Ziva has asked me for some personal time" Vance said to Gibbs ask he poured himself a glass of water. He then turned back to face Gibbs. "Away from the team" Vance said and then walked back over to his desk. "I gave her a case and some time off. She will be back at the end of the month."

"Are you sure she'll be back?" Gibbs asked him. He knew with everything that had happened the last week to the last two days, things weren't all that great with the team. He's also known for a while that she's been hinting if she went back to Mossad then Tony could come back and the last thing he wanted was Ziva to go back to Mossad. He wanted Tony back too, but he wasn't about to ask Ziva to give up her life for it, he would find another way, any other way.

"You really think she'd go back to Mossad and her father?" Vance asked him.

"There's no doubt in my mind she wouldn't" Gibbs answered him.

"She has been ordered to check in with me, at the end of each week." Vance said, to try and eases Gibbs mind. "She's loyal to you Gibbs, she won't leave" Vance said before taking his seat. Gibbs nodded before heading out of his office.

"Clearly you don't know her" Gibbs said to himself as he closed the door, before heading back towards the bull pen.

Tony and Ziva sat a few seats away from each other. Neither had spoken since Ziva admitted that she wanted Gibbs to pick her to prove he cared more about her then just another member of his team and that she had killed her own brother. Tony wasn't really sure what to say to that. All this time they thought it was Gibbs that had killed Ari, when all along it was Ziva. It started to explain so much now. Why Gibbs allowed her to be part of the team, why he trusted her, and all those looks they give each other. Tony took a deep breath and got up. He walked over to Ziva and sat down next to her.

"Why'd you do it?" Tony asked her. He wanted to know why she killed her other brother Ari and let Gibbs take the credit.

"Why did I do what?" Ziva asked him a bit confused. She turned to face him.

"I mean he was your brother? Why did you kill him?" Tony asked.

"He was going to kill Gibbs" Ziva said to him. "I am not proud of what I had done, but it is what it is"

"He was your brother and Jethro was just someone trying to kill him" Tony said trying to make sense of this all in his head.

"Why does it matter Tony?" Ziva snapped at him.

"I just trying to figure out why you didn't kill Jethro" Tony said to her. "You weren't part of the team then, Ari was your brother and you go an pull a 180 and save Jethro's life? It doesn't make sense."

"When I came to NCIS to stop Gibbs from killing Ari, I did believe he was innocent. My father ordered me to take him out, and I did not want someone else to follow those orders. So I took them." Ziva said starting to explain to Tony. "How could my father ask me to kill my own brother?" Ziva asked knowing she wasn't looking for a response. "Then Gibbs asked me to have his back. I went to protect Ari; I was not expecting to hear what I heard. Ari hated our father, I could not believe it. When I pulled the trigger, I was not following my father's orders; I was trying to save Gibbs, from the monster Ari had become."

"Does Gibbs know?" Tony asked her, he didn't know why but he believed her story. There was just something about it and the way she was telling it that made him know she was telling the truth.

"No" Ziva said to him. "I have tried to tell him many times. I just never thought it was the right time"

"You need to" Tony said to her. He didn't know why this was all so important to him, but it was. He was still so confused about so much.

"He will never forgive me" Ziva said to him.

"You wanna bet?" Tony said to her. "He's forgiven me for a lot of things I've done" Tony said, just making the connection to why he cared so much now. Just then the loud speaker came on saying the plane was finally starting to board. "You never know if you don't try" Tony said to her before getting up. He got his stuff and headed on to the plane. Ziva followed behind moments later.

* * *

AN: So I have been debating on weather to finish this one or not. And I think I might, because I have this nice ending planed. Hopefully people will like it. So just working on getting from where the story is now to that point. And can say, that the story will not end with Tony and Ziva. As much as I love Tony&Ziva, I kind of did something else for them and I like it. But Tony does end up happy with someone else. Also he is only called Gibbs Jethro, because he's so mad at him. Gibbs is a familiar/he think it as a connect to past he's had, and now that truths have come out, he doesn't really want to think of Gibbs as a friend/co-worker, he thinks of him as someone who betrayed him and who he dislikes. Trying to use Gibbs name symbolically, in a way. if that makes sense. Another thing, when it comes to forgiveness, not using it as a term like I forgive you lets me friend again. It's uses in a way as I heard it on Oprah "_Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different._" So just so no one yells at me. Tony, Gibbs and Ziva are far from moving past this at this point, but they will in a way in the future.


	14. A Month and Everything's Changed

**Chapter Thirteen- "A Month and Everything's Changed"**

Kensi walked down the hall way and into the bullpen, before putting her stuff down next to her desk. She could see either no one was here yet, or they were off doing something else. She looked over to see him at his temporary desk and couldn't help but smile. Taking the opportunity to talk just the two of them at work, she walked over to his desk and took the seat that was front in front of the desk.

"What can I do for you Agent Blye?" He asked her, not looking up from the work he was doing.

"I was hoping we could talk, Tony" she said to him. He stopped what he was doing and looked up him. "I know you have this personal rule about romance in the workplace, but ever since Hetty gave you the temporary role of operations manager, you've been avoiding me completely." She started to say to him. "No wait, actually it's ever since you got back from D.C. What happened?"

"Nothing" Tony said to her. "I got back; Hetty left and left me to take over while she was gone. I just didn't realize how much work it was."

"That's a lie and you know it" Kensi said to him. "Tony you know I care about you. Please don't shut me out" She said to him, but before he could answer they heard the sounds of Callan and Sam's voice. "I'm sure you have things to do" Kensi said before getting up and walking away.

"Thanks guys" Deeks said as he walked into the bullpen moments after Callan and Sam entered.

"That was you back there" Sam said as he leaned back in his chair. "Thought it was a bird"

"Real funny" Deeks said as he walked over to his desk and sat down.

Tony sat at his desk looking over at his team members. He sometimes missed being a part of the team he once called his family. Though it had only been a month since his airport conversation with Ziva, he soon realized over time that he had forgiven Ziva and Gibbs. That had done what they had and it was what it was, it couldn't be changed. Though he had forgiven them, he knew he wasn't ready to face them or work with them. There was still so much damaged caused and that was going to take more time to heal, if it was to heal at all. He just knew he missed the way things used to be.

"Abby Abby slowdown" McGee said into the phone. He had been listening to her talking in hyper speed for the last half hour. He was trying to make sense of it all, but just as he thought he understood what she was saying, she start up again and confuse him even more. "I can't understand a word you are saying."

"He is talking about never coming back" Abby said into the phone again without taking a single breath.

"Who isn't coming back Abby?" McGee said, finally understanding some of what she was talking about.

"Tony" Abby said to him, finally calming down a bit. McGee nearly dropped the phone.

"What are you talking about?" McGee said.

"I was talking to Tony last night and I told him about the dinner you were planning." Abby said to say, making sure to take a breath between each word. "I asked him if he wanted to join us. He started going on and on about his life was in California now. That he has nothing left in D.C. I'm worried about him McGee."

"Abby, Tony is fine" McGee said to her. "It's going to ruin it, but he was going to surprise you." McGee said. He hated to ruin a good surprise but he didn't want Abby thinking Tony was leaving them completely. He had already lost so much in the last month. "That is why he said all those things. He wanted you to think he wasn't going to come, so he could surprise you. I will yell at him for laying it on too think."

"McGee you nearly scared me half to death." Abby said to him. McGee couldn't help but laugh. "This isn't funny. After the last month, I will not lose anyone else. I will get you back." Abby said before she hung up on him. McGee hung up the phone and went back to his paper work.

"Damn it" Mack swore as she walked into the bull pen, shaking her phone as if it would help fix the problem. Mack tossed her bag behind her desk and sat down slamming the phone on the desk.

"Everything okay Mack?" McGee asked her. He could tell something was clearly pissing her off, then again the whole building could see it.

"I was this close McGee, this close and I lost it all" Mack said to him.

"This close to what?" McGee asked her not really sure what she was talking about, but before Mack could even respond Gibbs walked in holding a coffee and heading straight to his desk.

"What do you got for me Agent Johnson" Gibbs said as he placed his coffee on his desk. He looked at her, not even bothering to sit down.

"He's in the wind Gibbs." Mack answered him as she turned to her computer. She opened her email and retrieved a file before she got up from her desk and walked over to his. She picked up the clicker and put what was on her computer on the plasma screen. "The agency and I were able to track him to North Carolina. From there he was headed to what we believe was California. I was on the phone with Agent Richard to get him up to speed and see what he could tell us, and the line went dead." She started to explain to him. "Last thing Agent Richards told me was the FBI were able to tack a burn phone they believed he bought somewhere in the Los Angeles area, but there is no telling whether or not he actually bought the phone and if he even is in the Los Angeles area."

"Can they tell us anything that is useful?" Gibbs asked her.

"Agent Fornell did mention something" Mack said, she then rushed over to her desk and grabbed her back. Moments later she started taking files out of her bag, till she found the right one. Once she had it, she placed the bag back on the floor, grabbed the folder and walked back over to Gibbs. "He did mention a witness that NCIS was protecting." She said as she opened the file. "Here" she points to the written information and hands it to Gibbs. Gibbs grabbed his glass and put them on with one hand as he took the file with the other and then processed to read the information written.

"McGee, I need you to look up everything you can in any NCIS case file on a Landon Rogers" Gibbs said not taking his eyes off the file.

"Who is he boss?" McGee asked as he turned to face his computer to start looking up everything he could. He had watched everything in front of him unfold and yet he didn't know anything about what was being talked about. He didn't recognize the case, the person or anything Mack was telling Gibbs.

"He's someone we've been looking for, for the past two years" Gibbs asked him. He finally looked up and handed the file back to Mack.

"On it Boss" McGee said.

"Agent Johnson get Fornell in here, we need to know everything he knows" Gibbs said to her. Mack nodded and walked back over to her desk. She sat down as he picked up her phone and started dialing, Gibbs was about to head out of the of the bullpen, when he was stopped by Director Vance and David walking into the bullpen.

"Gibbs" Vance said to him. Mack and McGee both stopped what they were doing and looked. McGee couldn't believe he eyes, he had heard about and seen some pictures but he never thought he'd get to meet Ziva's father. Better question was, what was he doing here and why? "We need to talk."

"I'm glad you came over" Kensi said, as she moved away from the door to let Tony in. Once he was in she closed the door and the two walked into the living room. "I was beginning to think it was over, or is that why you are here?"

"No it's not" Tony said to her. "I really like the time we spend together, Kensi. You're beautiful and funny and you can kick my ass when it needs to be kicked."

"I'm thinking this is one of those times?" Kensi said as she sat down on the couch, next to Tony.

"I just got a call from Vance" Tony started to say to her. "Zi… Officer David from Agent's Gibbs team was in L.A to talk to a witness about an ongoing case they had. He didn't give me much detail, but the witness was found dead this morning."

"Ziva is alright?" Kensi asked. She could tell by the way he was acting, sounded and the way his face looked so sad, she knew it had to do with something happening to a member of his old team. She knew how much he cared about his old team; he once told her they were family to him.

"Vance didn't tell me. He just told me about the witness" Tony said to her.

"Then what's wrong?" Kensi asked him.

"The witness, she was my old partner" Tony said to her. "Vivian Blackadder."

"I'm so sorry" Kensi said to him, before moving closer to give him a hug. Tony pulled away before getting up from the couch, and turning to face her.

"I didn't even know she moved out of D.C. I…" Tony started to say to her. Kensi got up from the couch and walked over to him.

"You couldn't have known Tony. People grow apart it happens." Kensi said to him, hoping to say something to help him. "You both had your work, yours was at NCIS and her's was somewhere else. Time went by and something horrible happen. You couldn't have known this would happen, not now and not then. So even if you stayed in touch with her, there is no saying it would have changed this."

"She was my partner Kensi. Don't tell me I couldn't change it, because I know for a fact you did the same thing when Dom died." Tony snapped at her.

"Yes I did that when Dominic was killed, I questioned if I had done this, if things didn't go this way, but the whole team did that not just me" Kensi said, hurt by what Tony had just said. She knew he was hurting and had a lot going on, but that was taking it a bit too far. "But you know what this isn't about Vivian at all, this is about Gibbs. Ever since you came back from helping Agent Gibbs team, you haven't been the same person I know and care about."

"This has nothing to do with him." Tony said to her.

"It has everything to do with him. You're mad at him for something he did while you were in D.C and now you blame him for Vivian's death." Kensi yelled at him. She knew maybe that wasn't true, but Tony was having issues with something to do with Gibbs and she was hoping he'd stop bottling it up inside and just let her in.

"You don't know anything" Tony said to her, before turning away from her and walking towards the door.

"I know what ever happened when you went to Washington is still with you. You are bottling up inside and it's going to eat you alive" Kensi said to him. Tony stopped and turned to face her.

"Don't you dare telling me I am bottling things up Kensi, because I'm pretty sure you are the master at that one" Tony snapped back at her. "You are the one holding us back, not me. I let go of my life in Washington a long time ago. Maybe it's time you let go of your past."

"And here I thought you did care about me. I guess I was wrong" Kensi said, trying to hold back the tears.

"I guess so" Tony said, before turning away and walking out the door. Once Tony was gone, Kensi sat down on his couch, as she let the tears falls from her eyes. She knew this could have been prevented, but she was trying to help me. Unknowing to her, Tony was standing right outside the door listening to her cry, kicking himself for what had happened, before finally taking off.

* * *

AN: remember that case Abby and Mack where working on for Gibbs, and those unexplained things McGee told Tony about with Mack. Well finally coming into play. Also as you can see NCISLA team will be in it a bit more. So if you watch NCISLA everything with why Hetty left is not in this story. And the whole Callen obsessed with his past not in it. But Deeks and Nell are part of the story.


	15. Missing Agent

**Chapter Fourteen- "Missing Agent"**

**~~~~~L.A.**~~~~~~

Tony walked into the building knowing he was the only one there. He knew what happened early today with Kensi was a stupid fight and never should have happened. He just didn't realize how pissed off with Gibbs he still was. He thought he was moving past it, but now he knew he wasn't. Tony might have forgiven Gibbs, he couldn't change the past, but he knew he still couldn't call him a friend, boss or confidant again. That was all gone, ruined. Maybe they could get back to that place someday, but not anytime soon. Tony walked over to his temporary desk, which was really Hetty's desk, as sat down. He couldn't help but wonder if Director Vance would let him know Ziva was okay. He question if she should call Vance and ask or not. He shook his head to forget about that, and reached for him bag and opened it. He pulled out some folders and placed them on his desk, before turning his attention to them.

**~~~~~D.C~~~~~**

Gibbs walked into Vance's office not long after Vance and Eli walked out of the bullpen. Things were messy enough with everything that's happened and now Vance springs this on them. If Eli came to try and get Ziva to come back to Mossad he was sadly mistaken. Gibbs wasn't going to give her back without a fight; otherwise everything he did was for nothing.

"Gibbs would you sit down" Vance asked Gibbs. He and Eli were already sitting at the table.

"He can't have her back Leon" Gibbs said ignoring what Vance had asked.

"She is my daughter Agent Gibbs" Eli said.

"She stopped being your daughter the moment she joined Mossad and then she became your pawn" Gibbs snapped at him.

"You do not know anything about my relationship with my daughter" Eli snapped back.

"You can't manipulate her anymore" Gibbs said to him. "She works for NCIS now. She is part of my team and isn't leaving."

"She is part of Mossad" Eli said to him standing up from his chair.

"Eli we made a deal, Gibbs is a pain in the ass is not a reason to go back on the deal." Vance said finally getting in the middle of them. "Now both of you sit down" Vance said raising his voice. Eli sat back down, as Gibbs walked over to the seat across and sat down. "I informed Agent DiNozzo this morning that a key witness under NCIS protection was found dead in our Los Angeles safe house." Vance started to say.

"What does this have to do with my team?" Gibbs asked.

"Officer David was the last one to see her alive" Vance started to say. "She is now missing, we believe she may have been kidnapped and the witness killed because she got in the way."

"And he's here on good faith he had nothing to do with it?" Gibbs said.

"I would not kidnap my own daughter" Eli said to Gibbs.

"No you just send someone else to do it" Gibbs said.

"Enough" Vance snapped at them both. "We both have a missing agent. Now is a time to work together, not kill each other."

"Does Ton… Agent DiNozzo know?" Gibbs asked. He felt weird not calling him Tony to Vance. He now was part of another team and as far as he knew it was still Agent DiNozzo to him.

"I will be informing Agent DiNozzo and his team later tonight. They will be helping us with the L.A. investigation." Vance said to him. "Gibbs, your team will be working with Eli to try and figure out who might want to hurt Ziva or use Ziva to get to Eli."

"I can think of one" Gibbs said, as he got up from his chair.

"Should we list you as a suspect?" Vance questioned him.

"Just make sure when we find Ziva and he goes back, he's leaving alone" Gibbs said before heading out the door.

**~~~~~L.A.~~~~~~~**

Kensi walked into the building heading right towards the bullpen. She couldn't believe she had forgotten something. She's usually so much better than this; she figured everything with Tony had her mind all shattered. Just as she was about to enter the bullpen she notice Tony was sitting at his desk and on the phone. She couldn't help but wonder what he was doing here, trying to keep his mind of things, she was thinking.

"You could go over and talk to him" Kensi heard a voice said, which ended up startling her. She turned to see it was only Deeks standing there.

"What are you doing here?" Kensi answered him, ignoring what he had just stand.

"Boss man asked us to come back" Deeks told her, as he walked past her and to his desk. "Isn't that why you are here?"

"No I had forgotten something" Kensi said as he walked over to her desk.

"Tony called said he needed us all in again. And after he gave us the rest of the day off" Deeks said.

"Guess it must be an important case that he needs us back here" Kensi said, then she remember about Tony partner being killed. She started to put the pieces together.

"Everything okay Kens?" Deeks asked her.

"Yeah it's fine." Kensi said to him with a half-smile.

"He left again didn't he?" Deeks asked her.

"Deeks it's not important, just drop it okay" Kensi said to him. She knew he was the only one that she knew, knew about her and Tony. As far as the other, they might know, but she knew she didn't tell them. It was the one thing Tony asked. His romance in the work place rule.

"Clearly it is" Deeks said to her. He walked away from his desk and over to her. "He's a good boss and leader, but if this is going to keep happening, just walk away. Someone is going to get hurt an I don't want it to be you."

"It was me, I messed it up. I pushed him away" Kensi said to him. Deeks was always the only one that knew about her ex-fiancé. They were partners after all and after Sam yelled at them about trust the two started to have more faith in each other and started letting each other in slowly. Just like he knew about some of her past, she knew some of his. It was still a work in progress. "We got into this fight, I said things I knew weren't true and it only pushed him out the door."

"He's not Jack, Kensi" Deeks said to her. "Even if I not his biggest fan when it comes to you, I know he cares about you. He's not going to leave you. You need to put the past behind you."

"Easier said than done" Kensi said to him.

"You'll never truly be happy, till you do" Deeks said to her.

"Some days I just don't get you Deeks" Kensi said to him.

"How is it we are coming from two different places and yet we are here at the same time, G?" Kensi and Deeks heard. They looked over to see Callen and Sam headed their way.

"You're just lucky I guess" Callen said.

"Right" Sam said as they entered into the bullpen.

"You two have any idea why we got called back in?" Deeks asked them as Kensi and Deeks turned to face them.

"Missing Agent" They heard a voice say. They all turned to look and see and there stood Tony. "We have a missing agent."

"Who?" Kensi asked. He mind when back to when they got the agent needs assistance alert from Dominic.

Flashback

"_Where is Mr. Vail?" Hetty ask as she started to hand out the work place safety evaluations. _

"_I just called him and it went start to voice mail" Kensi answered. _

"_Huh, he didn't get the memo" Hetty said._

"_Maybe we should postpone this, until we're all here" Callen said, as Nate nodded his head in agreement. _

"_No no, I'll prepare a makeup session especially for Dom. Have no fear it will consume his entire weekend." Hetty said to them. "Number two pencils. _

"_The tools of ignorance." Eric said, as he picked up a pencil, before sitting down. _

"_Let's open our books to page one. And begin" Hetty said to them. Just then Kensi's cell phone goes off. Hetty looks over at her. _

"_Sorry off" Kensi said, as she shut her phone off and placed it to the side. _

"_umhm. A safe work envierment is not just a goal" Hetty began to read, before being cut off by Callen's phone going off. _

"_That's me, sorry. Phasors on stun" Callen said to Hetty as he turned his phone off. _

"_Does the word vibrate mean anything to you people?" Hetty asked she looked around at everyone. Just then Sam phone went off. "If you're behind this Mr. Beal." Hetty said pointing her finger at him. _

"_Wh.. What? Wasn't me, pinkie promise" Eric said, raising his pinkie finger. Then other of everyone else Hetty's phone goes off. _

"_Oh lord" Hetty said as she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Callen, then picked up his phone and looked at what it is, connecting the dots that it was something important if everyone was getting a call. _

"_It's an agent needs assistance alert" Callen said looking at his phone that reads AGENT NEEDS ASSISTANCE: DOMINIC VAIL (323) 555-0173, before looking back up at Hetty. "It's coming from Dom's phone."_

"_Let's find him" Hetty said, looking up from her phone to Callen. Without a second thought everyone got up from their chairs and headed to the ops center. _

"_Remember that you are a strong women" Hetty said to her, as she turned to face Kensi. _

"_Sometimes it gets to be too much, you know?" Kensi said to her. Hetty reached out and took Kensi's hand and patted it with her free hand. _

"_Yeah, sometimes, but don't think for a minute that they can do it without you" Hetty said to her. _

Flashback ends

"Officer David" Tony said to them.

"She's not technically an NCIS Agent" Deeks said. "If my understanding is correct"

"She's a Mossad Liaison with the agency, so no she is not actually an NCIS Agent, but she has gone missing while part of NCIS so Director Vance is treating this like a missing Agent." Tony explained to them. "This is high priority. Whatever happened to Office David is connected to an ongoing case that just lost its star witness. We will be working with Agent Gibbs team in D.C. as well as the FBI and CIA."

**~~~~~D.C.~~~~~**

"Whatta you got McGee" Gibbs said as he walked back into the bullpen with a cup of coffee in his hand. He looked over to see Eli had made himself comfy at Ziva's desk.

"I was able to find a case file, but its classified boss" McGee said. "I don't have clearance to see it, but will get into it."

"Agent Johnson?" Gibbs questioned, without actually asking a question.

"He said he was on his way in an hour ago" Mack said to him.

"Get him in here Johnson" Gibbs snapped at her.

"Here I thought you might treat her better, Gibbs" They heard a voice say. They turned to see Fornell standing right at the entrance to the bullpen.

"Tobias" Gibbs said.

"Jethro" Fornell said. "I got Agents Johnson argent call"

"I need everything you know on Landon Rogers" Gibbs said. He knew finding Ziva was important and there was no saying the cases were connected. He was going to make sure of that.

"Just what my agents have told Agent Johnson" Fornell told him as he walked into the bullpen and over to Gibbs. "He's in the wind. He knows how to blend in, if he doesn't want to be found, you won't find him."

"Get your men to find him or I will" Gibbs said to him.

"I know you've been looking for him for two years now, but you hit a dead end." Fornell said to him.

"Agent Fornell we believe he is connected to a case we are working on right now" Mack said to him. "It is important we get everything you have."

"What case? Why was the FBI not informed?" Fornell asked.

"That's classified" They heard a voice say. They turned to see Vance standing there "We believe he may have killed a witness in a high profile case."

"I got in boss" They all heard McGee say.

"Plasma" Gibbs said as the all turned to the plasma screen. McGee typed a few things and it appeared on the plasma screen. McGee got up and walked out from behind his desk and over to Gibbs and Fornell. He picked up the clicker and moved in-between Gibbs and Fornell.

"It's not everything but it's something" McGee said, before hitting the clicker to some them some information. "He came from a military family, and his parents were killing when he was a senior in High School. After that was when he started on his path" McGee started to inform them, he continued to tell them more of Landon's background, when he clicked the clicker again, and the name popped up; FBI Agent Mackenzie Johnson. He couldn't believe his eyes.

* * *

AN: remember when taking about forgiveness with Tony/Gibbs/Ziva I am using this definition "Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different."... Also someone mentioned it was hard to figure out the whiching between D.C and L.A hope this make it easier. Hope you like the twist at the end.


End file.
